Unwritten
by TwistedTale
Summary: "Time, as I have said, is constantly being written, rewritten, and… unwritten." Harry looked at him sharply. "Are you saying that I can change history? But Hermione said-" "Miss Granger can, and has, been wrong before. History can be changed Harry if you would be willing to try… it would involve a lot of risk and uncertainty. But it is possible." SLASH TR/HP
1. Chapter 1

Summary: In which Harry Potter travels through time.

An: This is a gift for the Valentine's day exchange! I hope you enjoy it wynebat, I'm sorry it's so late… I am horrible with time limits and deadlines. Thanks for being so understanding!

A lot of the dialogue and the descriptions are from The Deathly Hallows in this chapter, if you recognize it, it isn't mine and I do not claim it. Same with the characters, you know who it is? Well they aren't mine.

Oh and by the way..._**This is a slash fanfiction, you don't like it don't read it! You have been warned.**_

Chapter 1

* * *

Harry was going to be sick. The contents of his last meal, whatever it had been he didn't remember, sloshed around in his stomach. _I might as well throw up now instead of latter. Die with dignity and all that. _His stomach churned again but he couldn't bring himself to do it. _Screw it; I will puke all over the bastard. _With that thought he stomped through the trees, he didn't have much time left.

One hour.

He had been given one hour and he used every minute of it trying not to break down, because he knew he would go to Voldemort as soon as he had heard the message. _Harry Potter,_ _ever the hero. _His fate was sealed as soon as he looked at the other Hogwarts students. Broken, burned, and battered. They looked at him with nothing short of desperation. Harry could only imagine what they had been through while he was away. How could he do anything but protect them?

If it meant his life, so be it.

The long game was over, the Snitch had been caught, it was time to leave the air… The Snitch. He fumbled at the pouch around his neck and pulled out the tiny golden ball. _I open at the close. _He finally understood, and time sped up as he pressed his lips against the metal and whispered "I am about to die."

The metal shell broke open like a walnut but he still couldn't see what it contained. Trembling he raised Draco's wand and cast "_Lumos." _ It was the Gaunt ring. It was the Resurrection Stone.

The former Horcrux burned like a cold fire in his palm. Remembering the story of the three brothers he deftly twisted the stone and his chest tightened when he saw his family, his mother, father, Lupin, and _Sirius_. They all smiled at him, looking young and healthy. It was how they would have been if not of the damned prophesy. _If not for me as well._

"You've been so brave." Lily said as she hungrily drank in the sight of her son. Harry gorged himself on her image, burning it to memory and thought he could look at her forever and be content.

"You are nearly there," said James "Very close. We are… so proud of you." Harry didn't know if James was proud of him dying or for living so long. The only question he could form was-

"Does it hurt?" Harry rasped out and his stomach twisted into knots again.

"Dying? Not at all," said Sirius. "Quicker and easier than falling asleep."

"And he will want it to be quick. He wants it over," said Lupin. The words were a true comfort to hear.

"I didn't want you to die," Harry blurted out. "Any of you. I'm sorry-" He turned to Lupin and his stomach twisted again, but this time with guilt. "-right after you had your son… Remus, I'm sorry-"

"I'm sorry too." Lupin said sadly "Sorry I will never know him…but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life." The guilt that welled up made him feel sick again. His whole body was shaking.

"You will stay with me?" he asked.

"Until the very end," said James.

"They won't be able to see you?"

"We are a part of you," said Sirius. "Invisible to everyone else." Harry turned to look at his mother.

"Stay close to me," he said quietly, and started moving again. The chill the lingering Dementors left lessened as his family drew near and feeling slightly better they all marched on together.

Harry clutched his Cloak tighter around him like a security blanket and wandered through the forest, seeking his death. He almost wished Voldemort had been more specific on where he was. Before long he heard a thud and a whisper and he froze in place.

Death Eaters, two of them just a few feet away "Someone there," came a rough whisper "He's got an Invisibility Cloak. Could it be-" Yaxley and Dolohov. They came around a tree, looking right past the ghosts that surrounded him.

"Definitely heard something," said Yaxley. "Animal d'you reckon?"

"That head case Hagrid kept a whole bunch of stuff in here," said Dolohov, glancing over his shoulder.

Yaxley glanced down at his watch "Times nearly up. Potter's had his hour. He's not coming." He sounded like he hadn't expected anything else. Harry was so offended he wanted to toss aside the cloak and say _"Here I am, surprised?"_

Dolohov sighed and shook his head "And he was sure he'd come! He won't be happy." There was a small bit of worry in his tone; Harry couldn't blame him, Voldemort tended to shoot the messenger.

"Better go back," said Yaxley. "Find out what the plan is now." Dolohov nodded and they started away. Harry did know if he should curse or bless his luck as he started after them.

As they walked Harry realized with a start that he knew this place, the bits of web on the trees gave it away. They were going into the spiders den. Harry shuddered as he remembered the last time he had been here and gazed at the place Aragog had wound his giant web. There were bits of it still hanging down; the spiders though were long gone.

His eyes didn't linger on the webs; he quickly turned his attention to the rows and rows of Death Eaters around a large bonfire. Many of them were still masked, others showed their faces, but all were silent. Some of them were injured, Harry thought with satisfaction as he saw the great blond Rowle dab at his bloody lip. He spotted the Malfoys next, they looked as sick as he felt.

No one was looking his way though, they were all watching Voldemort. He stood with his head bowed and his chalk white hands folded over the Elder Wand in front of him. He might have been praying, or else counting silently in his mind, and Harry, standing still at the edge of the scene, thought absurdly of a child counting in a game of hide-and-seek.

Behind his head Nagini floated in her glittering, charmed cage, like a monstrous halo. Coiling and swirling and watching everything from her unique angle.

Voldemort only looked up when Dolohov and Yaxley rejoined the circle.

"No sign of him my Lord," said Dolohov. Voldemort's expression didn't change, but his ruby eyes seemed to burn in the firelight. He slowly drew the Elder Wand between his long fingers.

"My Lord-"

It was Bellatrix, her face was bloody but she looked unharmed. He doubted the blood was hers and the thought made him gag a bit. Voldemort raised a hand to silence her and like the obedient servant she was did not speak again. The hero worship never left her eyes and he was reminded of the first time Ginny Weasley looked at him when she was eleven. He threw the idea away as soon as he thought it, Ginny was _nothing _like Bellatrix.

"I thought he would come," said Voldemort in that high, clear voice, his eyes on the leaping flames. "I expected him to come." No one dare say anything. They were as terrified as Harry was. Every instinct he had screamed at him to run, but he forced himself to stay still and slowly pulled his cloak off of his body. It took everything he had not to start shaking. His heart tried to pound its way out of his chest. He stuffed the cloak into his pocket, and a minute later his wand followed, he didn't think he could resist attacking when- when- he swallowed heavily.

"I was, it seems… mistaken," said Voldemort.

"You weren't."

Harry said it as loudly as he could, with all the force he could muster. He didn't want to sound afraid. The Resurrection Stone slipped out from between his fingers and out of the corner of his eye saw his family disappear. Voldemort looked over at him.

For a moment it was just the two of them, starring at each other from the two sides of the fire. The rest of the world was gone and they were alone for a few heartbeats. Then all hell broke loose. The giants roared, the Death Eaters rose with cries, gasps, and even laughter. Voldemort stood frozen, like a figure made of marble as Harry moved toward him.

"HARRY! NO!" It was Hagrid. The half giant was tied to a tree and making a valiant effort to tear the thing down.

"NO! NO! HARRY, WHAT'RE YEH-?"

"QUIET!" Shouted Rowle, and with a flick of his wand Hagrid fell silent. The other Death Eaters all stared in-between their master and his mortal enemy. Bellatrix's bosom heaved eagerly as she stared, and Nagini coiled in her magical cage. Otherwise all was still.

Voldemort tilted his head to the side, the movement very birdlike. He looked his opponent over before a mirthless smile crossed his lipless mouth.

"Harry Potter," he said very softly, "The Boy Who Lived." No one dared to move, not even Voldemort whose head was still tilted to the side, like a curious child who wondered what would happen if he proceeded. He raised his wand. Harry stared into his eyes all the while; trying desperately not to betray the fear that was twisting his stomach to bits and making his heart try to race out of his chest.

He saw Voldemort's lips move, heard the words distantly as if from a great distance and something in him screamed "NO!" as the green light closed the distance between them. A white light emitted from his skin and surrounded him with its warmth, taking the full brunt of the killing curse. There was a horrifying scream from somewhere, and the hairs on the back of Harry's neck went up. The light surrounded Harry, the green battling the white and vice versa, growing closer and closer to his skin before sinking into it.

Magic invaded his senses and entered every inch of his body. Every part of him buzzed with power, and for a split second he felt invincible. But then the magic turned on him and with all its strength _yanked_. Harry felt as if he was going to be torn into a million pieces as every particle in his body tried to pull itself apart. Harry shut his eyes and screamed.

Suddenly it stopped.

Sunlight caressed his skin, a warm breeze ruffled his untidy hair, and somewhere off in the distance a bird sang a cherry tune. _I must be dead then. _He thought and relaxed, finally daring to open his eyes and took in the scenery around him.

He was in a place very much like the forbidden forest, but this was different, this place hadn't been ravaged by war. It was beautiful. Perhaps it was heaven? Could he dare to hope that it was?

"Who are you?" Harry froze and slowly turned to look behind him. It was another man, about his age, black hair slicked back, black eyes glittering with hidden emotion, a small confused frown across his thin lips. Harry was sick again. He _knew _that face, it had haunted his nightmares many times in place of his older self's.

"Tom Riddle." He choked out and the other man frowned.

"How do you know my name?" Harry couldn't answer. His body started to tremble badly and he couldn't find the strength to stand any longer. He fell to his knees and clutched at the emerald grass. _It's not possible, it's just not possible._

"I demand an answer, how do you know my name." Harry looked up at the teen, his black eyes were narrowed and his thin lips were even thinner in his anger. There was no recognition in his eyes; he didn't know Harry even though he was sure the dark wizard would. _I was prophesized to murder you_ _and you have forgotten me? _

Tom moved in front of him, his shoes were in perfect order.

Harry felt the smooth polished wood of his enemy's wand against his neck. "I will not ask again, who are you and how do you know my name?" There was truly only one thing he could do at that point.

Harry threw up all over his shoes.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: In which nightmares become reality.

Chapter 2

* * *

"-and that's why I'm here." Harry finished lamely. Dippet made a small sound in the back of his throat and shuffled a few papers around on his desk.

"So if I understand you Mr…"

"Granger, Harry Granger." Dippet nodded.

"Granger then, you have recently come to Britain to escape the er…"

"The war sir."

Dippet nodded "Yes, real nasty piece of business that." He shuffled more papers.

"You were homeschooled before?" Dippet asked, finally finding what he seemed to be looking for. Harry nodded.

"Nothing formal I suppose?"

Harry shook his head. Dippet sighed.

"Not even your OWLS?"

"No sir, I'm sorry."

Dippet waved a hand. "It is nothing to worry about; you wouldn't be our first transfer student without them." At Harry's surprised look Dippet smiled.

"Do you think you are the first seeking shelter at Hogwarts?" He didn't give Harry a chance to answer. "Certainly not! We accept anyone with the aptitude to learn, and as long as they do not cause trouble they are welcome to stay." Looking pleased with himself, the Headmaster settled back down into his chair and gently pushed a sheet of parchment toward Harry.

"Now because of your circumstances I assume you can't pay tuition?"

Harry grimaced.

"I didn't think so; luckily we have provisions in place for students in your situation- provided for as long as you keep your grades at or above Acceptable of course, we will not fund a student who would squander the opportunity we so generously provide." Harry nodded absentmindedly and looked down at the parchment; it was the supplies list for a seventh year student. "We also provide a small something to purchase supplies so you needn't worry."

"But sir, where am I going to purchase supplies?" Harry assumed Diagon Alley, but he couldn't be sure about anything in this time. Dippet frowned and tapped at the desk with a long gnarled finger as he thought. After a moment, he brightened.

"Why Hogsmeade of course, I believe you passed through it on your way here?" He inquired gently and Harry shook his head making Dippet frown again.

"Well I can't just send you wandering around a strange town on your own…." The old man stared out the window, lost in thought before snapping his fingers.

"Tom! I will send dear Tom with you." Harry froze and had to fight every urge he had that demanded he give a very empathic NO. Despite Harry's silence the headmaster seemed to pick up on his feelings and gave a pitying grin.

"Now I know you boys got off on the wrong- er, foot," he cleared his throat "But Tom is a kind sort, I am sure he has already forgiven your little… mishap." Harry seriously doubted that. He was sure the young Voldemort would have killed him on the spot if the Herbology professor hadn't been walking by with a younger looking Kettleburn._ Saved again by sheer dumb luck. _Harry thought with an internal, relieved, sigh.

Both professors had laughed heartily as Tom cleaned his shoes with a furious flick of his wand, and led Harry to the hospital wing for something to calm his stomach before taking him to the headmaster. He was grateful they had, it had given him time to sort out just what had happened. _Not that I understand it any better. _He thought glumly _I don't even know what I am going to do here._ Hermonie would have known… or at the very least she would have had a plan, she always did.

When the nurse asked his name a moment later after handing him his potion, he had blurted out Granger.

"Mr. Granger?" Harry's head jerked up "Are you quite alright?"

"I'm fine sir, just a bit tired." Dippet nodded.

"I suppose you would be, you have had quite a journey. I have been frightfully inconsiderate." With that the headmaster snapped his fingers and a house-elf appeared, bowing low. "Take Mr. Granger to a guest room and tend to his needs," he ordered sternly before turning to Harry "Rest for a while, have something to eat, and in a few hours I will send Tom to you." At his protest Dippet raised a hand "I understand your apprehension, but I am sure Tom understands and has already forgiven you. Besides that he is Head Boy, it is his duty to help students in need." With that he and the silent house elf were ushered out of the office so quickly Harry's head spun.

Outside the office Harry stared blankly at the gargoyle guardian for a few long minutes until the house-elf tugged gently at his arm.

"Yes?"

"Tink has been tryin' to get Master Grangers attention, please forgive bad Tink for laying hands on him." Harry sighed.

"No don't worry about it; it was my fault I wasn't listening. What did you want to tell me?" Tink's bulbous eyes were wide in surprise as she stared at him before she seemed to realize what she was doing and stared at her toes instead.

"I is to be taking Master to his room, if Master would follow."

"Yeah, I will thanks." The house-elf flinched as if struck and stared at him again as if he were an alien.

"If yous would follow," she muttered and started off down the hallway. Harry trailed after her as they wound their way through the castle. Everything was as he remembered it. The same portraits, tapestries, and statues lined the walls, the same rugs on the floor, and the same suits of armor standing at attention. Harry could very easily pretend that nothing was wrong until he spotted two boys standing an alcove whispering urgently to one another.

Their manner and dress separated them from the people in his memory, made them stick out as distinctly different. It brought his reality to the full front of his mind and he stopped to stare for a moment at them. One of boys, a short brunet, noticed him first and nudged his companion, a tall blond. They stared back at him.

"Can I help you?" The blond asked brusquely turning to face him more fully. Something on his chest shone in the torchlight from the movement, a silver badge with the word Prefect clearly etched into it.

"No…"

The blond frowned. "Then is there some reason for you to be staring at us? This conversation is private."

Harry shook his head. "No, it's nothing… forget it." Slightly embarrassed, Harry turned and walked quickly to Tink who had paused to wait for him at the end of the hallway. _Stop drawing attention to yourself. _He mentally scolded as the little house elf led him into an unfamiliar part of Hogwarts. It was a hallway of rooms, guest rooms if he remembered correctly. Tink led him to the room furthest back to the right, and with a small shove opened the door.

Everything was a different shade of blue, the four-poster being the darkest with its midnight blue sheets and the curtains being the lightest with its sky blue trim. "Is Master needing something else?" Tink asked cautiously. Harry looked down at her and she looked resolutely at the stone wall.

"I wouldn't mind something to eat…" before he could specify the elf disappeared and Harry sighed. _What do I do now? _He wondered and went to the comfortable looking bed and sat, burying his face into his hands and rubbing tiredly at his eyes. _Options, I need options, but first what do I have that I can use? _He started to reach into his pockets and his fingers brushed over the familiar feel of his Invisibility Cloak. Carefully he pulled it out, the sound of metal hitting stone followed.

He looked down at the ground; the two halves of the snitch were lying side by side next to Draco Malfoy's wand. _My wand now I suppose._ He thought as he set his Cloak aside and picked it up, examining the black wood in greater detail then he had in the past before setting it down and picking up the twin halves of the snitch. The wings fluttered weakly at his touch. He set them aside too and continued groping through his pockets. He found nothing else of use, just pine needles, bits of leaves, sand, the tip of a quill, and wood shards and crumbs. He reached up to his throat and felt the pouch that contained his old wand, comforted that is was there.

_I should hide this somewhere. _Was his first thought before he scoffed at himself for being silly. Where would he hide it that someone wouldn't come across it? _Best to keep it with me then._ He decided and gently placed the other two halves of the snitch inside it and put it back around his neck. The soft pop of Tink reappearing made Harry flinch and grab for his wand, holding it tightly as he stared down the surprised house elf.

To the creatures credit she didn't drop the tray she was holding as she kept her eyes on the wand pointed at her. "I have brought Master food." She squeaked out and Harry frowned letting his arm drop to his side, bringing up his other hand to run through his untidy hair.

"I'm sorry Tink, you surprised me." The elf looked even more frightened by his sorry then she had when his wand had been pointed at her. She said nothing more as she quickly placed the tray down on his bedside table and popped away without another word. He was tempted to call her back and apologize again but didn't think it would get the reaction he wanted. _It's best not to say anything._ He decided and went toward the heavenly smell of good, fresh food. There was some kind of stew with a half loaf of fresh bread and a pat of butter on the side. Not only that but there was a small bowl of fresh fruit, already cut up and arranged neatly, and three mugs of various drinks. _Water, pumpkin juice, and some sort of tea _he identified and, suddenly desperately thirsty, eagerly reached for the water.

He could still taste vomit and potion when he swallowed and was glad for the chance to wash it out. When the cup was empty he set it down and drank the sickly sweet pumpkin juice, and when that was empty he gulped down the scalding hot tea. Thirst sated he turned his attention to the stew and slowly ate. It was beef stew, the meat fell apart in his mouth, the vegetables were as easy to chew as butter, and the spices were heavenly. He mindlessly ate, tearing at the soft bread after every few bites of stew, until he had eaten everything but the fruit which he had only halfheartedly nibbled at.

For the first time in months he was full and warm and away from imminent danger. It was a good feeling, a really good feeling, and he might have let himself fall asleep if not for one thought.

_Tom Riddle is coming to my room in a few hours._ Away from imminent danger indeed, fate refused to give him even one minute of respite. The young dark lord would want answers, answers Harry couldn't give. _Why was I stupid enough to say his name! _He resisted the urge to slam his head against the wall. _He will not leave me alone until I give him an answer he can accept._ He had to think and think fast, where could he have possibly have heard the name Tom Riddle when they had never met before?

He pooled all the information he had about the wizard, which wasn't as extensive as he would have liked. He had had a rough childhood, he was driven towards psychopathic tendencies, he could speak parseltongue, he was ridiculously good at the dark arts, he had two Horcruxes already…. None of that would help him though. _Think, Potter, think what do you know about him __now__._ He mentally shuffled through more. Tom was a prefect, now head boy, he had a Special Services to the School award- _That's it! _ There had been a newspaper article along with it; he and Hermonie had come across it while they had been researching Voldemort. There had been a picture to go along with the article as well, he was positive. Harry remembered the half smile and the boredom in his black eyes as he waited for the photographer to finish.

_He might actually buy that. _ He thought with glee and his shoulders slumped as if some great weight had been taken from them. Harry felt content enough to fall back into the pillows, which were as soft as bird down, and shut his eyes intending to rest only a moment before completely dozing off.

Harry dreamed of happier times; homework by the lake, chess with Ron, talking to Hermonie about her latest discovery. He even dreamed about Snape and was happy to see the man sneer at him. He didn't expect to dream of Voldemort; the red silted eyes gleamed in triumph as his long icy fingers went for his throat-

His eyes shot open to look into the coal black irises of Tom Riddle, and froze at the feel of fingertips on his neck.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: In which Tom Riddle and Harry Granger go shopping, and uncomfortable questions are asked.

Chapter 3

* * *

For a moment they just stared at one another, Tom's fingers lingering on his skin before the future Dark Lord pulled slowly away.

"The Headmaster has asked me to take you shopping for your school supplies." Tom turned away from him and moved over to the window, one hand grabbing his other wrist loosely behind his back. Harry stared at him wide eyed and moved very slowly out of the bed so they would be on more even footing.

"So you couldn't have knocked?" Harry said with surprising sharpness as he peered around for his wand.

"I did, but you didn't answer. So I let myself in," he said glibly.

_Where is that damned wand? _He thought furiously, trying to both search and keep an eye on the man by the window. "When someone doesn't answer the door it usually means they aren't there or don't want company." _Sweet Merlin I have a death wish don't I?_ Well he couldn't take it back now.

Tom finally turned around, his black eyes staring impassively into Harry's green._ Don't look into his eyes! _Harry quickly looked over Tom's shoulder.

"If you didn't want anyone to come in you should have locked the door."

_As if that would have stopped you. _He thought grimly, eyes scanning the rumpled sheets for any sign of his wand. The only thing he caught sight of was the edge of his Invisibility Cloak peeking out from under the comforter. He blanched and slowly forced himself to look away from it so as not to draw any attention its way. Tom watched him intently the entire time.

"I didn't think I had to lock my door because usually people knock." He slowly reached into his pocket, feeling around all the bits and pieces for any sign of that stupid hawthorn wand. Tom gave the tiniest smile.

"Looking for this?" Tom pulled Harry's wand out of his pocket and idly twirled it between two fingers.

_Well, shit…_

"It was lying on the floor so I thought I would save you the trouble and pick it up; you should be more careful with your wand Mr. Granger." Tom made no move to hand it to him.

Harry grit his teeth "What do you want?"

A small thin smile crossed Tom's lips "Only what the Headmaster has asked of me." Harry didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. He was betting on bad.

"Give me my wand then and we can go." Harry was convinced Tom would refuse him but the young Dark Lord surprised him by deftly flipping it over and presenting him with the handle.

Harry cautiously reached out and took it, keeping the wand clenched tight in his fist as Tom brushed past him and out the open door. Harry hesitated for a split second before reaching for his cloak, stuffing it into his pocket, and walking after him. Tom was already halfway down the hallway and Harry had to jog to catch up to him. The other boy's black eyes flicked over his shoulder to stare at Harry for a second as he pulled up beside him before continuing on.

They walked slowly through the hallways, silence thick and heavy between them. _Say something, __**do **__something. _Harry thought furiously, gripping his wand so tightly he was surprised it didn't snap. But Tom did nothing, looking almost bored as they made their way through the corridors. They passed few people, but those few they did stared at Tom with varying degrees of emotion; he saw everything from down-right lust to careful respect. _No one suspects a thing about him,_ Harry thought with contempt. _Except Dumbledore. _Harry froze at the thought. In this time Albus Dumbledore was alive, he was a _teacher._ Harry's mouth went very dry as he thought of the consequences of that knowledge._ I could tell him the future, warn him away from that shack, I could tell him about Voldemort, I could-_

Do absolutely nothing, he realized numbly. As soon as he spoke about the future as he knew it, it would change. It could get _worse _then it had been, and if he ever got home… what would he be returning to? He didn't know, and the thought scared him more than he cared to admit.

"Are you coming? I am very busy and don't have the time to spend waiting for you to stare off at nothing." Tom's voice drew Harry from his thoughts. The dark teen was staring at him with narrowed eyes, the corner of his lip curled with either impatience or aggravation. _Most likely both. _

"Don't let me keep you then." Harry muttered as they started walking again.

"Your hostility is not appreciated, I have been nothing but polite to you." Tom said as they stepped out onto the grounds. Harry stared at him, jaw dropping.

"_Polite? _You drew your wand on me when we first met, then broke into my room and stole my wand." Tom's eyes narrowed.

"In my defense, you were a dirty curse burned stranger who knew my name. Not only that you had taken me by surprise when I had thought I was alone and I admit I reacted rather aggressively. If I knew you were merely a lost potential student I would have treated you more gently." There was a bit of apology in his tone that surprised Harry and instantly put him on edge.

"And breaking into my room, your hands around my neck, do you have an excuse for that too?" Annoyance flashed across Tom's face so quickly he might have missed it if he wasn't looking closely.

"I did not know you would be sleeping, and your necklace was going to choke you if I didn't untangle it. As for your wand it was on the ground and I had simply picked it up."

"You couldn't have just woken me?" Harry pressed on.

"I tried, you were too deeply asleep." Harry doubted that, he had been a light sleeper by necessity from a very young age. Truly, he had only slept deeply when he had been trapped in his visions of Voldemort.

"I don't trust you." Harry snapped and Tom blinked.

"I don't doubt that, we have only just met after all. But that doesn't give you any excuse to be rude when I have only meant you well."

Harry grit his teeth and glared at him. "I think you are lying."

Tom's eyes narrowed in return. "I don't really care what you believe, I said I meant you well and I do. Nothing you say will change that. Now as I said before I am a very busy person and I haven't got all day to mollycoddle your fragile ego."

Harry gaped at him and the other boy sighed heavily, reaching up grasping his temples firmly between long fingers.

"Look we are getting nowhere with this silly argument, let's let bygones be bygones and start over, are you amiable?" Harry opened his mouth to give a resounding 'never', but something in him hesitated.

_You can't afford an enemy right now. _A quiet voice whispered in the back of his mind. _You can't research ways to get home and watch your back at the same time, just play nice for a while. _It went against Harry's every instinct, but he couldn't doubt the validly of the argument. _Fine, but if he tries anything again I'll hex him._

"Fine."

Tom looked surprised for a split second before his face fell into a polite mask. "Alright then, the town is this way if you would follow."

Harry nodded and forced himself to relax his clenched hands a bit, and follow after Tom. He didn't put his wand away.

"Normally we use carriages to get in-between the school and the village, but since there were no scheduled visits today we will be walking."

"It's fine." Harry muttered, and kept his eyes on his back, waiting for him to make _any_ suspicious move. But he did nothing other than to gesture to a few of the more prominent landmarks between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, many of which Harry recognized from his time.

"-and over there is the game keepers cottage. Go past that and you are in the forbidden forest." Tom glanced back at him. "It's where we first met."

"You don't say."

"You looked rather disheveled." His tone was conversational.

"I had been camping before I came here." It was the truth. Tom made a small hmn sound in the back of his throat.

"That would explain the smell." He said as if to himself, but Harry knew he wouldn't have voiced it if he didn't want it heard.

"What smell?"

"Smoke, as if you had been standing next to a fire." Something in Harry clenched at the memory of the fiend fire in the room of requirement. He remembered the shapes in the rolling flames, and the look of terror in Draco Malfoy's eyes as he thought he was going to be left to die. Apparently, his saving people thing didn't just extend to his friends, but to his enemies as well. _I never had it in me to kill anyone. I wouldn't have needed to anyway; the only reason for my existence was to destroy horcruxes and die. My whole life was pointless._ Depression weighed down on him like a heavy blanket.

"You can't go camping without a fire," Harry finally muttered. The conversation lagged.

They were almost upon the village when Tom spoke again. "Did Nurse Dove take care of your injuries?"

"It was just a few scrapes." Harry grumbled. The worst of his injuries was a small burn on his upper arm, and a few small cuts from debris that had fallen on him.

"They were a bit more severe from one might expect from a camping trip."

"Have you ever been camping?" Harry asked sharply.

"I can't say that I have."

"Then you don't know all the accidents that can happen in the middle of the woods."

"Fair enough." There was something in his tone that put Harry on edge.

"Why are you so interested in me anyway?" Harry blurted out as they passed the first few buildings that led into the little village. Tom stopped and gave him a level stare.

"I am not. I was merely making polite conversation."

"It sounded like an interrogation to me.

Tom quirked an eyebrow "Do you get interrogated often?"

"Often enough to know what it feels like."

Tom gave another maddening little hmn and started off again.

"We should go to the tailors first, it will take the longest." Harry didn't say anything as Tom led him to a small shop he didn't recognize. Harry carefully pushed open the door, pausing when he noticed Tom walking away.

"You're not coming?" Tom stopped and turned to stare at him.

"I didn't think my presence was necessary for you to pick out clothing… unless you _want _me to pick out your underwear for you." At Tom's challenging look Harry felt his cheeks heat.

"Do what you want." He growled and stomped into the store, leaving the future Dark Lord smirking after him in the street.

* * *

Without Tom looming over him Harry had an easier time relaxing into the familiarity of the little village. After finishing his shopping he visited places he knew in the future. He stopped at the joke and sweet shops that looked a tiny bit newer in this time but otherwise remained unchanged. He paused at the alley where Aberforth Dumbledore had saved him from the Death Eaters. He even made his way to the place the Shrieking Shack would stand in the future, and stared at the open field.

It was there that Tom found him, clutching his new secondhand trunk, and lost in memories of the first time he met Sirius.

"Are you finished?"

"I thought you left."

"I am not that irresponsible." He said brusquely "Curfew is in an hour, we need to make our way back so I can get ready for my patrol."

_Of course it's about you._ Harry thought with an eye roll.

"Fine, let's go."

The walk back was silent, and Harry was surprised that Tom wasn't drilling him for more information. Paranoia crept into his mind as the silence stretched on. _Where did Riddle go while my back was turned?_ His mouth tightened as he glared at the back of Tom's perfectly groomed hair.

"Is there something you want to ask me?"

Harry flinched at the sound of Tom's voice.

"I was just wondering where you were back at the village."

Silence.

"I was meeting an old friend for drinks." It had to be a lie, and Harry bit his lip to stop himself from accusing the dark teen. Tom glanced back at him. "I assumed you didn't need a chaperone to go shopping."

"I didn't." Harry said, irritated.

"I didn't think so," Tom said placidly.

The silence settled back in-between them and remained until they reached the castle. They were accosted as soon as they stepped through the front doors.

"There you are Tom, everyone was wondering where you had gotten to." The teen cocked his head to the side as he stared at Harry "I know you; you were eavesdropping on me and Malfoy earlier." It was the short brunet Harry had seen talking to the blond prefect earlier.

Harry opened his mouth to deny eavesdropping on anyone when the hazel eyed boy suddenly turned his attention to Tom.

"Everyone is in the meeting room waiting for you." Tom nodded and started toward the stairs and the short boy started after him when Tom's voice made him pause.

"Evan, please take Mr. Granger here back to his room. He is staying in the guest wing until he is sorted." Evan hesitated. "You will be patrolling with me tonight, so when you are finished meet me on the fifth floor."

Evan sighed but didn't argue as Tom disappeared up the stairs. The Slytherin boy turned to Harry and gave a small smile.

"The guest wing is this way, if you will follow me… I'm Evan by the way, Evan Ambrose Lestrange." Evan paused when he noticed the trunk Harry was carrying "Let me help you with that." Before Harry could protest the teen grabbed the other end of his trunk and started dragging Harry down the hallway.

All the way to Harry's room Evan rattled off questions. What was his first name? Where did he come from? Why had he transferred? What was he doing with Tom? What did he think about sports? How did he feel about the new piece of legislation that was just passed?

Harry's mind spun from the dizzying assault and he tried to answer as best as he could without giving too much about himself away. If Harry's clipped answers, and obvious evasions bothered Evan the energetic teen didn't notice.

"It has been nice meeting you Harry, I have a feeling we will be fast friends!" He said cheerfully as they came up to Harry's door. Harry bit back a groan.

"Yeah…"

A bell chimed.

"Ah I'm late, mustn't keep Tom waiting… sleep well." With that the teen disappeared down the dark hallway and Harry sighed in relief.

_Thank Merlin it's over._ He thought, dragging his trunk to the foot of his bed and collapsing into the covers. _If I ever see Evan Ambrose Lestrange again it will be too soon._


	4. Chapter 4

Summary: In which Harry struggles with his grades, his classmates, the future Dark Lord, and finding a way to go back home.

Chapter 4

* * *

After the months of being on the run and the years of worrying constantly about Voldemort Harry could honestly say his study skills were rusty. His essay writing was even sloppier. So, after his first week of classes and a load of coursework under his arm to catch up on, he had found himself in the library.

_**Describe the Third Law of Enchantments as written by Morgan, and give practical examples of each type of enchantment that falls under the third Law.**_

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. He had no idea of where to start.

Without Hermonie there to guide him through the stacks it was almost impossible to find anything he needed. He hadn't realized just how lost he was without her there. A pang of homesickness struck him rather suddenly as he sank deeper into his chair at the table he had come to think of as his. It was the same one he, Hermonie, and Ron sat at every year since their first.

If he closed his eyes he could pretend that Ron was across from him, groaning and moaning about potions and Hermonie scolding him for being lazy. Harry smiled.

"Happy about something?" Just like that Harry's good mood vanished and he frowned, turning to stare into the bemused hazel eyes of his stalker. Ever since Harry had met Evan Lestrange the other teen had stuck to him like a burr. Evan sat next to him in class, turned up wherever Harry happened to be, and he even sat with him at lunch until the other Gryffindors forced Evan away.

Evan reminded Harry of Collin Creevey without the camera.

"Nothing in particular," Harry said with a sigh, halfheartedly cracking open his old charms book and looking for the passage he needed.

"It must be something pretty spectacular to make you smile like that." Without invitation Evan collapsed in the seat next to him and peered at his essay. "Still haven't completed your charms yet?"

"Have you?" Class hadn't even ended an hour before. Evan shrugged.

"My father is a Master Enchanter who constantly brings his work home. I would have had to be blind and deaf not to pick something up." He said pulling out his completed essay and handing it to Harry who looked it over. It was Hermonie quality. "You can borrow it as a reference if you like; just don't copy it word for word. Flitwick will notice."

"Eh, thanks but I can write my essay on my own." Evan blinked in surprise before shrugging and shoving it back into his bag.

"Suit yourself. Now what were you thinking about that made you smile like that?"

Harry sighed. "It's private."

A knowing smirk crossed Evans face. "Ah so it's about a girl."

Harry almost knocked over his inkwell. "What? No!"

"A guy?"

"No! God Lestrange I was just thinking about my friends." Evan leaned closer to him, eyes glowing with interest.

"You have never mentioned your friends before." Harry almost sighed again.

"I don't mention them because I try not to think about them."

"Why is that?"

"Because I just don't," Harry said sharply "Look thanks for offering your help with my essay and everything but my private life is private and it is going to stay that way so stop prying and leave me alone." Evan shook his head.

"Well now I can't do that, you're my friend and I have upset you unintentionally. Therefore I have to make it up to you." Evan flicked his wand and half a dozen books floated over, stacking themselves neatly on the table. "There! All the resource material you need." At Harrys surprised stare Evan grinned sheepishly "I saw you were having trouble finding books earlier. It takes years to learn this library well enough to actually find anything."

"Thanks Evan, we're even now, so can you please leave me in peace for the next hour or so."

"Am I bothering you Harry?"

"Yes!" The brunet shouted in exasperation only to be given an annoyed 'Shh' by a couple of Ravenclaw girls at a nearby table. He mumbled a quick sorry in their direction and glared at the smirking Evan. "Yes," he said more quietly "You are bothering me, I have a lot of work to do and you're not helping."

Evan quirked an eyebrow "And the books I just gave you don't count as helping?"

"Yes- no-" Harry slumped and buried his face in his hands "Ok the books are helpful but I can't get anything done with you harassing me. What can I say to convince you to leave me alone?" He mumbled tiredly, rubbing his temples.

"Nothing much, I want to get to know you."

"I don't like talking about myself."

"Nevertheless it's what I want."

"Why do you care anyway?" Harry grumbled and halfheartedly attempted to go back to his books.

"Curiosity," the Slytherin said, and Harry could feel the other teen's eyes on him as he flipped the page without reading it "Not to mention desire."

_That _got Harry's attention.

"Desire?"

Evan smiled. "Yes desire, although not in the way you are thinking." He shot Harry a knowing glance that set him on edge. "You see I am very much like a child in regards to desire, when I see a new and shiny toy I simply must play with it before anyone else."

Unbidden the image of Dudley came to mind, all of his birthdays, all of his new things, all gushed over and zealously guarded. _Until they broke, then they were put away and forgotten. _They used to go toHarry, he had been glad for anything to play with- even if it was broken. But Harry could have nothing without his cousin's interference; suddenly if Harry had it the broken toy became it new in Dudley's mind and it was taken away as soon as it was given. Harry wasn't surprised at the bitterness that rose up in his chest, but he was surprised at the deep rage that accompanied it.

"I," he slammed his book shut "Am not a toy. I'm leaving, don't follow me." With that Harry stormed out of the library, leaving the surprised pureblood staring after him.

* * *

Harry spent the rest of the afternoon in Gryffindor tower, ignoring the curious looks of the other Gryffindors as he struggled to complete his massive pile of homework at a small table in a corner of the room. If there was one thing he appreciated about being the new guy, it was the anonymity. No one knew him, so no one approached him, and if the Sorting Hat was right they never would.

'_They will never accept you as one of their own Mr. Potter, they have been together as one "Pride" for so long new blood is neither wanted nor needed… Slytherin on the other hand will take you with open arms, befriend you, and give you a home as Gryffindor once did- No? You are quite sure? Very well then, a lion before and a lion again in-'_

Harry shook his head in bemusement, after his sorting Dumbledore himself had taken him to Gryffindor tower. It had taken everything Harry had not to break down and either cry (Not that he would ever admit that) or strangle his former mentor. But the man had seemed oblivious to his dilemma and continued to prattle on about the history of the House and pointed out a few interesting pieces of artwork that preened under the recognition as they made their way to the seventh floor.

He had only seen the man once since then in his transfiguration lesson and Dumbledore had given Harry about as much attention as he would a statue or a stray cat. All of Dumbledore's focus was on one desk in the back room where Tom Riddle diligently took notes and apparently took no notice of the intensity of Dumbledore's steely gaze. Tom, now there was (pardon the pun) another riddle Harry couldn't solve.

If he didn't know any better he would never have suspected anything even remotely evil about the Slytherin. He took notes, answered politely when called on, and performed the required magic on demand. He was almost sickeningly perfect in all he said and did. _He slipped in front of me when we first met. Now he is trying to cover for it. _Harry thought with narrowed eyes. But Tom didn't seem to be paying him any more attention than Dumbledore was. In fact he was one step from outright ignoring him.

It was like that in every class they were in together; Tom would sit after greeting anyone who bothered to talk to him (and that was almost everyone,) pull out his parchment, ink, and quill, and wait for class to start without even once acknowledging Harry at all.

He was almost offended… almost.

Harry shook his head and wrote his name with a flourish on the top of his now finished essay and languidly stretched, groaning in satisfaction as his back cracked. _I don't have time to think about Riddle. _Harry thought with a yawn and cast a quick time spell. It was almost eleven. _I need to get back to the library; I have been putting it off long enough. _With that thought in mind he collected his things and started up to the dormitories.

The fact that the setup had not changed from the time he had occupied it soothed something in him after all the strangeness. He smiled and carefully set his things into his secondhand trunk before pulling out his invisibility cloak after checking that everyone was sleeping. He threw it over his shoulders in one smooth, practiced, movement and started back down the stairs.

Harry tried to be as quiet and careful as he could as he made his way through the common room. He didn't succeed, mentally cursing when he jammed his toe against the leg of the plush couch in front of the dying fire. An OWL student who had fallen asleep on the couch over his paper went ramrod straight at the jarring.

"M'not sleeping Professor!" The boy gasped blearily, glancing left and right nervously before collapsing back down onto his hopelessly smudged parchment. Harry let out a sigh of relief and made his way to the portrait hole.

"I say! Who's there?" The Fat Lady called out behind him as he climbed out. Harry ignored the portrait though and wound his way down through Hogwarts with ease. The path, while dark, was so familiar to him he did not misstep as he quietly made his way down the staircase, automatically jumping the trick stair and dodging past a Hufflepuff prefect on his way to the library. _Would have had an easier time of it with the map _he thought as he pressed himself against a wall to avoid the Gryffindor prefect, Harmony Leonhard, and a Ravenclaw prefect he didn't know, as they walked by. _It made dodging prefects easier._

But Harry tried not to grieve its loss too much as he continued to the library with no further problems. He cautiously slipped into the silent library, straining his ears to be sure no one and nothing was around before letting the hood of the cloak fall back. Now he had the privacy and the time to start looking for anything he could use to get him back to his own time.

The stacks rose tall and unfriendly on either side of him, and Harry groaned. He had no idea where to start… _Well _he thought as his eyes traveled over to an even more shadowy corner of the library _I have some idea. _After his first year he had avoided the place like the plague, and who could blame him? The first and only book he had picked up had screamed bloody murder at him.

_But what other place would have extensive_ _information about killing curses and white light sending people back in time? _With that Harry gathered his courage and made his way toward the Restricted Section. There was no chain on the door. Harry stared at the place it used to hang and prodded it carefully with his wand, only to frown as the door creaked open.

Either things were more lax in this time and the chain was never put there in the first place, or-

"What was that?" Without a second's hesitation Harry stepped through the door, throwing the hood of the cloak back over his visible head and pulling his wand into his sleeve before a familiar face walked into sight from around a bookshelf.

Evan Lestrange.

But it was an Evan Lestrange he didn't recognize. Gone was the grinning loon Harry had grown used to, gone was the gentle teasing look in his eye, gone was the unassuming aura. What Harry saw instead was a sharpness to the hazel eyes that hadn't been there before, and a hard frown that lined his mouth. An aura of promised pain seemed to emit from the set of his shoulders as he held himself more stiffly than humanly possible as he gazed back and forth from the open door to the few hiding places the stacks held.

"_Homenum Revelio." _Evan hissed with a flick of his wand and Harry felt the looming sensation of the spell about to overtake him.

_Finite! _Harry quickly cast, nails digging into his wand, his throat tight, and after a moment of furiously chanting the spell the looming feeling dissipated. It took everything Harry had not to sigh in relief. Evan on the other hand looked even tenser than he had before.

Evan raised his wand again and Harry stiffened. He didn't know if he could nonverbally deflect another spell of that magnitude.

"Lestrange, is anyone there?" Both Evan and Harry turned at the sound of the low timbre of a male voice.

"No…" Evan trailed off, glancing around one more time as Tom Riddle stepped into the scant light a window overhead offered. Tom quirked an eyebrow and Evan caught it. "No, My Lord Voldemort." Satisfied Tom gazed around the room, apparently bored.

"Very well then, shall we continue the conversation we were having?" Evan nodded stiffly and both teens made their way deeper into the Restricted Section. Harry followed them.

"There isn't much more I can tell you that you don't already know," Evan started with a sigh as the three of them rounded a corner, "He is an ordinary transfer student, abet a bit more guarded than I would have expected. There were no OWLS in his records so I can't say anything of his intelligence, but he turned down copying me on the charms essay. He is either more Slytherin than I expected or smarter than he lets on." There were three stiff backed chairs around a single table in the middle of the room, bookshelves surrounding whoever sat there on three sides. Tom took one, and Evan took the one directly across from it.

_They are talking about me. _Harry realized with a start. _Evan has been spying on me! _He glared daggers at the back of Evan's head, but even if he knew about Harry's ire he wouldn't notice it. All of his attention was on Tom.

But Tom just sat there, resting his chin on top of his clasped hands, eyes staring at nothing in particular as he thought.

"Did you manage to get into his medical file?" Harry blinked in surprise. He had a medical file? Already?

Evan grimaced. "No, Nurse Dove has them warded even more heavily than even the Dreamless Sleep. I didn't have time to crack the ward before she returned." He gave a small rueful smile "Almost caught me in the act too, I was crouched by the cabinet when she walked in. Fortunately she believed the cock and bull story I gave about a stomach ache, sent me right on my way." Tom didn't look pleased, and Evan noticed.

"I _can _get you that file though. It will just take more time than I expected." Tom stared at him for a second, unblinking. From his vantage point Harry could see Evan's hand start to shake as the minutes passed.

"…very well. But I want it soon."

Evan let out a little sigh and relaxed.

"It will be done, you have my word."

Tom lazily eyed him "And you have my faith, do not disappoint me."

Evan glowed under the praise for a moment before looking at Tom very seriously "I will _never _disappoint you master."

Tom smiled, it was tiny, and from what Harry knew of the young Dark Lord, completely fake.

"See that you don't Evan, now if that is all you have for me…" he started to stand.

"Have I pleased you?" Evan blurted out.

Tom paused and turned his coal black eyes to stare intently at the other teen for a moment before standing. He was tall, and that made him all the more imposing as he loomed over the shorter boy, Evan's hands were trembling again. With that tiny false smile Tom reached out to cup Evans cheek.

"You have Evan, and you will be rewarded." With that he leaned in and kissed him.

Harry gaped and took a startled step back, knocking into the bookshelf behind him. To Harry's horror the shelf gave an ominous wobble and his heart stopped when it tilted. Without thinking Harry turned, reached out, and grabbed it, throwing all his weight behind one giant tug and to his relief the shelf righted itself… but not before Harry heard the sound books spilling off of the shelf

"What-?" Tom and Evan were staring at the bookshelf, and right at the spot where Harry was standing. Harry paled _Did they see me? Oh sweet Merlin please don't let them have seen me! _Before he could come up with a suitable course of action, or decide whether or not the two Slytherins had actually seen him, a muffled whimpering came from the other side of the shelf. The three froze. The whimper turned to a cry, and the cry turned into an earsplitting wail. That seemed to be some sort of trigger; another book stared to cry, and another, and another-

Evan was the first to respond. He bolted around to the other side of the shelves and one by one the books started to quiet. _I can't stay. _Harry thought, and that was enough to remind Harry that he had working legs. He bolted.

"Whose there? Show yourself!" Tom snarled behind him and Harry prayed he wouldn't start throwing spells. "Lestrange! Lestrange you incompetent fool you were followed, forget the damned books and _find them_." Harry threw subtlety out the window and ran like his life depended on it. He crashed through the closed gate that kept the Restricted Section closed from the rest of the library and went for the front doors at a dead run.

Harry didn't know if the thumping he was hearing were footsteps or his own heartbeat, and he didn't stop to find out. He tore out of the library, only barely avoiding running into the flustered librarian coming in in his haste to escape.

She looked past him, bewildered, but Harry didn't spare her a second glace as he ran through the hallways, not stopping until he was back in the safety of the common room. All was quiet and still.

The OWL student was still drooling on his essay, the fire still gave a weak glow, and House Gryffindor was sleeping. Harry clutched at the back of an arm chair and desperately tried to catch his breath, only just stopping the hysterical laughter that threatened to give him away. He had gotten away, he was safe, _and _he giggled (Giggled!) _the Dark Lord is gay. _He finally broke down and laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of the thought.

On the couch the OWL frowned in his sleep.

"S'not nice to laugh, an A is ACCEPTABLE…" and Harry only laughed harder at the declaration.


	5. Chapter 5

Summary: In which Harry's power is realized.

Chapter 5

* * *

"Mr. McDonald,"

"Here."

"Ms. Prince."

"Here"

"Mr. Quincy,"

"Here."

"Mr. Riddle..."

Professor Seedling looked up from her list, large eyes squinting from behind too small glasses. "Mr. Riddle?" She questioned again, sounding rather bemused as her eyes went to his customary spot at the front of the classroom. Shaking her head she scribbled something on the parchment she was holding and continued roll call.

Harry ignored her as she continued to rattle off names and stared at the desk Tom normally occupied. It had been like that all day, the teacher would take roll, pause when they reached Tom's name with curious frowns at his lack of presence, and go on with the lesson.

"Tom has never missed a class before, let alone an entire day of lessons," Harry heard the Slytherin girl in front of him murmur to her companion, "I haven't seen him once today." The other girl made a small contemplative noise. "Perhaps he's sick?" The other girl shrugged. "Well you could at least _pretend_ to care Eileen!" She looked like she had a sharp retort in mind but when the Professor rushed by she just turned back to her parchment.

Tom wasn't the only one missing. Harry glanced over to his side to where Evan normally sat; it seemed glaringly empty without the other teen. _It wouldn't bother me if Riddle wasn't missing too, what are they up to?_ He thought, nervously tapping the end of his quill against his parchment.

Harry had been growing increasingly paranoid as the day went on and neither boy showed themselves. _Did they see me after all? Is this some way to try and catch me off guard? _On his way to Defiance Against the Dark Arts he couldn't help periodically glancing over his shoulder. He even drew his wand on a surprised Gryffindor boy who had grabbed his arm to get his attention.

"Easy mate, you just dropped your book." Harry felt his cheeks heat as he took the slim volume of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them from the other Gryffindor.

"Thanks." He muttered and the other teen gave a sharp nod before walking off with two other boys, mumbling amongst themselves and staring at him. _You need to relax, you almost hexed someone for no reason. _He mentally scolded as he settled into the desk in the very back of the DADA classroom. Relaxing was easier said than done though, every time someone came into the room he tensed, at every sudden noise he cringed, and he even flinched when the soft voice of Professor Merrythought called his name during roll.

_Relax, relax, relax… _He mentally chanted, and was halfway there when the door to the classroom burst open. It was Evan, and just like that Harry was on edge again.

"Mr. Lestrange, you are late." Professor Merrythought scolded and Evan gave her a weak smile in return.

"I'm sorry Professor, I missed the staircase before it moved." The professor didn't look like she quite believed him but didn't say anything on the matter and waved him on. Evan quickly glanced over the room before his eyes fell on Harry. The Slytherin's customary grin went firmly into place as he walked slightly stiffly over to the empty seat next to Harry.

"Hey Granger, hope you didn't miss me too much." His voice was scratchy.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Actually my day has been relatively peaceful," Harry grumbled as he watched Evan slowly lower himself into his chair. There were dark circles under his eyes, like he had not gotten enough sleep, and there was a slight tremor to his hands as he set out his materials. "Rough night?"

Evan grinned at him with a small wince, "You could say that." Harry didn't get a chance to press him further as the lesson started. Harry watched the Slytherin out of the corner of his eye as the Professor started on the Patronus looked terrible, _Is it really that surprising? He was alone with an angry Voldemort all night._ A chill went down his spine at the thought and sudden sympathy filled him. If anyone knew about Voldemort's rage, it was Harry.

_None of this would have happened if I hadn't been here. _He thought darkly as he watched as Evan tried to keep his quill steady as he wrote. Harry's 'saving people thing' came back with a vengeance and before he could stop it-

"You know if you're in trouble I can help." Harry blurted out. Evan paused, glancing at him with a suspicious frown.

"Now why would you assume that I am in some sort of trouble?" Evan muttered, gazing casually back and forth at the people sitting closest to them.

"You look like someone cursed you, repeatedly."

Evan stared levelly at him. "And how would you know what such a person would look like?"

Harry grit his teeth as frustration over took him. He didn't have to help the Slytherin, especially since he learned Evan was spying on him, but it was Harry's fault he was in this predicament in the first place and he couldn't, much to his annoyance, let it go. "Damn it Evan stop trying to make the conversation about me!"

"Mr Granger," Merrythought said loudly, drawing Harry's attention "Apparently has already mastered this lesson, because otherwise he would not be talking to his friends." The woman's owl like eyes narrowed and the class tittered around him. "Well Mr Granger, have you mastered the lesson?" Harry wanted to sink into his seat.

"I can cast the spell." He muttered and the woman's eyes narrowed further as Evan's head jerked to him in surprise.

"What was that Mr. Granger?"

"I can cast the spell, I have been able to since I was thirteen." The professor quirked an eyebrow and Harry could see the tiniest trace of a sneer in the corner of her mouth.

"Young man," her voice was strained, as if she were having a very hard time keeping from shouting "I will not be mocked in my own classroom, twenty points from Gryffindor, and if you disrupt my lesson again, detention." With that she turned on her heel and stomped to the front of the classroom.

_Don't do it _a little voice piped up in the back of his head as he tightly clenched his wand _You mustn't draw attention to yourself. _He loosened his grip on his wand, and tried to even his ragged breathing.

He felt a gentle nudge to his elbow and glanced over at Evan, the other teen's hazel eyes were glowing with curiosity. 'Can you?' He mouthed. Harry almost sighed and was tempted to give his usual _Mind your own business _when he saw the tremor in Evans cheek. Hermonie had had the same tremor for days after Bellatrix cursed her. _What could one honest answer hurt? It's not like telling him I can cast one charm will do anything. _Harry subtly nodded and the other boy gave a small grin before turning back to the teacher.

The rest of the period went by uneventfully, with Professor Merrythought going on and on about the theory behind the Patronus charm. Theory he had long mastered. Harry almost sighed in relief at the sound of the bell.

"Next week I expect a foot of parchment on the effects of the Patronus charm and which creatures are affected by it." A few students groaned as they packed up and Harry sighed wearily with them.

_Why am I bothering with this? _He mentally grumbled as he found himself, yet again, in the library hunched over an essay. _It's not like I'm staying._ But deep down some part at him wondered if he would ever get home, and another part he refused to acknowledge wondered at the sanity of trying to return at all.

_Don't think about it. _He scolded himself as he dipped his quill into his inkwell for what felt like the millionth time that hour.

"Curfew is in five minutes Granger."

Harry froze, and slowly glanced over his shoulder to the face he had been dreading seeing all morning. _How could I have forgotten about Tom? _ The dark teen stared unemotionally at him, arms across his chest. Then what Tom said registered.

"I didn't know it had gotten so late." Harry said slowly, closing one of his books carefully. His eyes never left the other boy's face.

"Nevertheless, it has. I hear you have already lost points for your house; I would think you wouldn't want to lose more."

"Where did you hear that? You weren't in class today."

"You could hear the Gryffindors complaining from the dungeon about the points you lost. It wasn't hard to pick up on." Tom said casually.

"And were you in the dungeons all this morning?" Tom's eyebrows went up and an amused smiled crossed his thin lips.

"I do believe I missed the announcement that declared I tell you my whereabouts every minute of every day." Above them a bell tolled "That would be the final curfew bell. Since this is your first offence…" Tom stared intently at Harry's face "I believe I will not take points. Come, I will escort you back to your tower."

_Yeah right._

"I can get there on my own." Harry snapped, quickly packing his things away and standing brusquely.

"I have no doubt about that. But should you run into any other prefects or teachers they will not be as charitable as I have been. You don't want to get your house into any more trouble do you?" At that Harry hesitated. He had been on the receiving end of a few threats after losing the points in Defense. Apparently Gryffindor hadn't won the House Cup in years and they were the closest they had been to it since the early thirties. Harry didn't need any more enemies. _I can't use my cloak either, not without Tom seeing, I can't send him away either, he would know I was up to something._

"Fine." Harry hissed, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"No need to look so sour at someone who is doing you a favor, I am a-"

"Very busy person, I know." Harry interrupted irritably. "You made that clear the first day we met."

"Indeed, and I don't like my time wasted. Come." Harry nodded and warily followed behind the poised teen. They walked in silence, Tom making no strange or sudden moves. _What's your game Riddle? _He thought darkly as they started up the staircase. _Does he know about last night?_

"Where were you today?" Harry finally asked as they reached the seventh floor. Tom paused and Harry almost ran into him.

"What will you give to know that?"

Harry considered the question. "I don't have anything you would want." He finally said. _Nothing you know about at least._ The future Dark Lord turned to face him.

"I have heard you can cast a Patronus. I would like to see it." Harry blinked in surprise.

"That's all?"

"That's all."

_Why would he want to see my Patronus? _Harry toyed with the idea of refusing him, but the thought of learning what Tom had been up to decided it for him.

"Fine, as long as you tell me exactly why you were out of class." Tom nodded placidly and Harry pulled out his wand. He thought of Hermonie and Ron, he thought of Hogwarts as he remembered it, he thought of the possibility of living his life free from being the boy-who-lived…

"Expecto Patronum." Harry breathed out with a sigh, and silver light erupted from his wand. The stag quickly formed and charged down the hallway, tossing its regal head before spinning and charging back to Harry. Its ears were forward and alert as it stared at him, pawing at the ground with a hoof. Tom stared at it in fascination and moved closer.

The stag noticed the movement and focused his attention on the approaching figure. Tom raised a hand and reached out, letting the appendage hover over the nose of glowing deer. The stag exhaled sharply, making Tom flinch in surprise, and promptly disappeared. Tom slowly lowered his hand to his side.

"Fascinating." He muttered and stared down at his fingers.

"Now will you tell me where you were all day?" Tom glanced over at Harry.

"Not tonight." Harry's face twisted with rage.

"But you said-!"

"I said I would tell you, and I will. But it will be at the time of my choosing."

He had been played. Harry grit his teeth, and was ready to cast another, more aggressive, spell when one of the Gryffindor prefects rounded the corner. The newcomer blinked in surprise and stared in-between the two of them.

"Riddle? What's going on, I thought I saw a silver light…"

"Indeed you did, Granger here was assisting me in catching up on the Defense homework that I missed today. We lost track of time and I offered to escort him back to the tower. I trust there is no problem with that?" The prefect relaxed and nodded.

"It's not a problem," he turned to Harry "Granger, get back to the common room, Riddle and I will be going downstairs from here to patrol the other floors." Tom frowned and looked like he wanted to protest but Harry took the chance to get away and with a hurried 'Goodnight' walked away, feeling the burning gaze of the Slytherin following him.


	6. Chapter 6

Summary: In which harsh realizations occur and hard choices are made.

Chapter 6

* * *

Something had changed.

Harry glanced over to the Slytherin table; Tom was back in his customary spot that morning. He looked better dressed though than was customary. _What are you up to? _Harry thought sourly as he bit into a piece of toast. As if he had heard the thought Tom slowly looked over at Harry, a small smile playing about his lips for a moment before he turned back to his conversation with the blond next to him. Harry gaped stupidly at him. Did he just _smile_? It must have been a trick of the light, or he might have misjudged what he saw. _Tom Riddle does not smile, not sincerely. _Harry was on guard.

The strangeness continued from there.

Harry was sitting in his usual seat in Transfiguration, glancing through the chapter they were going through that lesson, when he felt the jarring shake of someone setting themselves down next to him. Harry sighed and waited for Evan to start babbling at him, but all he got was silence.

"Your quiet today, someone finally hex your mouth close?"

"I should think not."

Harry jerked in surprise and almost fell out of his seat at the sound of Tom's cool voice. The dark teen quirked an eyebrow at Harry's reaction and Harry felt his cheeks heat.

"I thought you were Lestrange." Harry finally said, scooting as far away from Tom as his chair would allow.

"Ah." With that Tom turned his attention back to the front of the room where Dumbledore was beaming down at the students. His smile faltered for a moment as his eyes fell on Tom, before grinning widely again.

"Today we will be learning a bit about Morgan's enchantments and how they apply to modern Transfiguration use. You should know a bit about the subject from your Charms class…" Harry tuned out Dumbledore's lesson and turned his attention to the boy next to him. He was taking notes with great precision, not paying any attention to anything other than the parchment in front of him.

Harry recognized the writing from the brief time he had Tom's diary in his possession, and with a chill he also recognized the heavy ring Tom wore. _The Gaunt ring. Horcrux. _For a moment his eyes lingered on the perfection of the stone, unbroken and whole in this time. _He has already killed five people, I need to remember that._

Despite thoughts to the contrary, it wasn't hard for Harry to picture the young Dark Lord as a murder. There was a hollowness to his eyes that gave him away… at least that is what Harry thought. _He is a chameleon, able to blend in and hide what he really is. But you can't hide from me Riddle, I see you for what you are._

Harry could admire the disguise he wore though. He was a good looking guy, and for most people that was enough to give the illusion of was an appealing symmetry to his features that made him seem more like a marble statue then a human being. His hair was without a trace of color except for the predominate black, his eyelashes were the same color and long enough to almost be called girly. _I don't think I have ever been this close to Voldemort before, at least not for this long without him trying to kill me._

The smell of good cologne reached Harry's nose. _Was he wearing that before? _Harry wondered, baffled. If Harry didn't know any better he would have thought Tom was trying to impress someone. _But who could he want to impress?_ There he was stumped, Tom didn't have to try to impress anyone, people just naturally _were _impressed with him.

_Could this be about Lestrange? _He thought with a sudden jolt.

Harry looked around the classroom until he found where Evan was sitting. There were still large dark circles under his eyes, but they were more pronounced today. He wasn't blinking, just staring at Tom blankly and completely disregarding everything else in the room. He looked like he was going to be sick.

_He made a mistake, and Tom is punishing him by… finding someone to replace him? _It was a cold and heartless move, but it made sense. _It explains why he is dressing better, he is trying to attract someone else… and it's my fault. _He thought guiltily as he watched Evan slump down into his seat, staring listlessly at his parchment.

The bell rang suddenly, jolting Harry out of his thoughts. He had been distracted all class period. _I forgot to take notes. _Harry thought glumly as he started packing his things together.

"Walk with me to our next class." Harry paused in his packing and looked over at Tom, who looked rather bored as he glanced down at a watch Harry hadn't noticed before.

"Why?" Harry asked, suspiciously. Tom stared unemotionally back at him.

"Why not?" Was all the other teen said and walked a few steps away before pausing. "I can let you borrow my notes from class today, I noticed you didn't take any. You seemed… distracted."

It was a bribe, and an obvious one at that.

"I had a lot on my mind, and I can just ask someone else for notes."

"They will not be as well written as mine."

Harry frowned. "Why are you trying to help me? What do you want?"

Tom quirked an eyebrow, "What makes you assume I want anything?"

"You always want something." At that Tom seemed genuinely surprised.

"And where have you gotten that assumption?"

"Slytherins always want something." He finally said.

"You are basing your opinion on me on house prejudice?" Tom's lips quirked into an amused smile "How very close minded of you."

"Last time I did something for you I got nothing in return," at that Tom frowned.

"I am a man of my word, you will get your answer in due time. Until then you must be patient." Tom glanced at his watch again. "But we are almost out of time, will you walk to class with me? I promise I will ask nothing of you in return." Harry sighed.

"Fine, but I am only doing it for the notes." The amused smile returned.

"Of course."

* * *

The next few weeks passed slowly for Harry as he tried to balance his homework, research, and Tom Riddle. The last was a surprise to him. Ever since Harry had accepted his offer to walk to class Tom had taken Evan's spot as his constant companion; but where Evan had been obnoxious in his attention, Tom was subtle.

They rarely spoke, which Harry was glad for because they inevitably fought when they did. But Tom never seemed to let it bother him. Nothing seemed to bother the teen and many times Harry found himself impressed with Tom's control, _Which is the most ridiculous thing I have ever thought. Voldemort and self-control don't ever go hand in hand. _But here, they did. Tom was actually was a really good Head Boy. Many days he forgot all the horrible things Tom did and would do. Others he would see the blank hollow look in the obsidian eyes that reminded him all over again that he was in close quarters with a killer.

_I still don't know what he wants from me either. _Harry thought darkly as he turned a page in the book he was reading, keeping half an eye on Tom who was placidly writing out prefect schedules for next week across from him. _All he has been doing is hanging around._

Evan on the other hand was avoiding him like the plague, and when he couldn't avoid him he stared at Harry and Tom with alarming intensity. When he mentioned it to Tom the other teen only gave a small unconcerned hmn in the back of his throat went back to his work. Harry couldn't ignore it though. Evan's eyes plagued him every class period they shared. One day he had enough and after ditching Tom, he cornered the Slytherin after class in an empty hallway.

"Why are you staring at me?" Harry demanded. Evan sneered at him and tried to brush past him but Harry grabbed his arm and held the scrawny boy steady.

"Let me go." The pureblood hissed.

"Not until I get an answer. Now tell me why you are staring."

"I wasn't staring; I was merely glancing in your general direction with increasing frequency."

"Brilliant, now tell me why were you are doing it." Evan let out a small mirthless laugh.

"Why I am sizing up my replacement," he said darkly dragging it gaze up and down Harry's body "Can't say I'm impressed."

"Replacement? Replacement for what?" Harry asked, baffled.

Evan gaped at him for a moment before a snarl curled his lip "'Replacement for what?' he asks. I knew you were an idiot but I didn't know just how stupid you were." He slapped Harry's hand away and took a step away from him. "Who do you think was sleeping with Tom before you came along?" Shock filled Harry's every pore.

"Sleeping… Evan I'm not…" Harry leaned heavily against the stone wall at his side.

But Evan didn't seem to hear him and bowled on, "I don't know why he would pick you of all people, just _look _at you…. But my Master has gone out of his way to impress you and you act like it doesn't even matter, like _he _doesn't even matter."

"I'm not having sex with him." Harry muttered numbly.

"Don't lie to me!" The other boy snarled and swung at him and Harry who, from years of dodging people trying to kill or injure him in some way shape or form, instantly dropped to the ground. Evan missed but it didn't end there, the other boy swung again as Harry tried to stand but Harry managed to narrowly dodge again. That only seemed to enrage Evan further. All the while Harry groped for his wand and tried to gain his feet.

Evan finally caught Harry under the ribs with a sudden hard kick and as Harry felt the breath leave his lungs his fingers wrapped around the handle of his wand. He felt another swift kick to his back before he found the strength to roll away from the next swing.

"_Impedimenta." _He coughed out and with a loud bang Evan went flying, head hitting the wall with a meaty sounding thunk before he crumpled to the ground. When he was sure Evan wasn't going to be getting up Harry let himself relax and regain his breath.

He winced badly as pain shot up from his abdomen as he struggled to his feet. He eyed the still body, Evan was breathing, he could tell that even though he was some distance down the hallway. _I should just leave him here. _He thought darkly and took another careful step forward. The pain was nothing he couldn't handle, at least for a while.

_Now all I need is a way to get to the hospital wing. _He glanced irritably down at Evan. _For the both of us._ With that Harry cast his Patronus.

"I need you to get some help." The stag flicked an ear before turning and bounding down the hallway. Harry sank back down to the ground, leaning back against the wall behind him with a sigh and glanced over at Evan.

"I'm not sleeping with him," he finally said to the still body "Just because you were crazy enough to doesn't mean I am." With that Harry leaned back just as footsteps sounded from around the corner. Help had arrived.

* * *

Word spread quickly about Harry and Evan's fight. Rumors spread even more quickly about why the fight happened in the first place. All of them were wrong. But Harry fighting with a Slytherin, for any reason, seemed go break down a barrier between him and the other Gryffindors. He was only in the Hospital Wing for less than a day but in that time he had almost half of his year mates visiting him. Most were carrying chocolate, and all wanting to hear the story.

Harry amused himself by giving a different story for each group of people. _It's not like I can tell them the truth anyway... if they would believe it in the first place. _He thought as the latest group scurried away from his bed, whispering amongst themselves.

"Having fun Mr. Granger?" Harry gave Nurse Dove a sheepish smile as she checked him over again. "Well you seem to be fine now, the damage you received was minimal compared to Mr. Lestrange's, take this," she handed Harry a small vial of blue potion "Before you go to bed tonight, it will keep any swelling you have to a minimum. Beyond that there is nothing more I can do for you."

"Thanks." The Nurse scoffed.

"Don't thank me, if I had my way you would be healing the muggle way. Nothing is a better deterrent for fighting than a little pain…. Besides that the Headmaster wants to see you in his office, the password is Knowledge." With that the woman turned on her heel and disappeared into her office. Harry carefully stood, slowly flexing and moving his body to be sure everything was working properly before walking up the lines of beds. _Why would the Headmaster want to see me? _It was one fight, something for a head of house to deal with.

He wasn't long into his musing before a quiet murmuring got Harry's attention and he paused in front of a bed that had been curtained off for privacy. Because it was the only other bed in use there could only be one person behind the curtain.

Evan.

Another voice answered the first, but they were so muffled Harry couldn't hear anything. He slowly crept toward the curtain and was about to pull it back when it was violently thrown open and Harry was face to face with Tom.

The future dark lord blinked in surprise before quickly closing the curtain behind him, but not before Harry saw Evan's prone form on the bed over Tom's shoulder.

"What are you doing here Riddle?"

"I was merely paying a visit to an injured housemate," he slowly looked Harry over "And a friend."

"I heard voices."

"Then your ears must have been playing tricks on you, Evan was unconscious when I got here."

"Was he?" Harry asked archly.

"He was.I don't know why you would think otherwise."

"I think otherwise because Evan said a few things about you before he swung at me." Tom stared at him calmly.

"Did he?"

"He did." Harry said, hand already slipping into his pocket and wrapping around the handle of his wand. Then Tom smiled and Harry frowned.

"And did it make you uncomfortable?"

Harry blinked. "What?"

"What he told you. I know many people are uncomfortable of two men being… intimate."

"Look I don't care what you do in your free time," _I have only obsessed about it every minute of every day since I was eleven _"But when it involves me it's a completely different story."

"Ah yes, I can imagine he mentioned my attraction to you." Harry gaped at him.

"But- but-" _He can't be, we are destined to kill each other. _"It's impossible."

"Oh it is very possible Harry." He said, amused, and Harry felt his cheeks heat.

"I know it's possible!" He snapped and backed away from the smirking Tom Riddle. "But us, together, it can't work!" The idea of them together didn't disgust him either, and the fact that it didn't made him ill. _**You never really had a chance to experiment in school**__… _his stomach turned. _He killed my parents __**not yet**__ he murdered friends __**not yet**__ he killed his parents! __**Dumbledore killed his own sister and you didn't particularly care about that, how is this different?**_ It was a double standard and he knew it.

"Why can't it?" Tom asked casually.

"Because it just won't," he finished lamely.

"Is that because of pointless fear of something you have never tried…" He took a step toward Harry, grabbing his wrist in a surprisingly strong grip. _His hands are warm; I always imagined they would be cold. _"Or are you afraid of me?" He tugged him forward and Harry was crushed against Tom's chest. Then what he said registered.

"I am not afraid of you!" He snapped, and looked into Tom's eyes. The hollow look wasn't there to remind him of the killer behind the façade, instead his black eyes burned like hot coals.

"Good." Then he felt Tom's other hand on the back of his head. _When did he-?_ He pulled Harry closer to him and kissed him firmly. Harry had kissed and been kissed before, and kissing Tom wasn't so different, Ginny in particular had had the same aggressive way of kissing him that Tom did with tongue and teeth searching and dominating every part of his mouth.

There the comparison ended and Harry struggled to-

To what?

He didn't try to pull away, he didn't try and escape, he was struggling to keep up. His scar started to ache, but not painfully as it had in the past. It was more throbbing in tempo with his racing heart as he felt Tom start to run his fingers through his hair until he was scratching at his scalp. His body gave an involuntary shudder and both of his hands went to go Tom's robes to push him away. It was his intention at least; instead he grabbed fistfuls of fabric and held on for dear life.

At this point he didn't know what would be worse. Pushing him away and dealing with Tom's ire or pulling him closer and killing the last bit of him that was screaming this was wrong. The decision was made for him when Tom suddenly let him go, making him grab the nearest bed for support as he grew in great heaving gasps.

"Mr. Granger? Are you still here? It is not polite to keep the Headmaster boy." Nurse Dove had poked her head out of her office and was glaring at him through narrowed eyes. "For goodness sake get a move on." She turned to Tom and her expression softened.

"Ah Tom dear, do you need something? Another potion?" He shook his head.

"No, I was just checking in on my classmates." She beamed.

"What a dear." She turned to glare at Harry. "Don't just stand around like a loon, go."

Harry took a wobbly step forward before finding his balance and slowly started to the exit.

"Harry," Tom called behind him and he froze "We will continue our conversation later. We have much to discuss." Harry's heart fell and he all but ran out the double doors, trying to get his frazzled nerves back together.


	7. Chapter 7

Summary: In which Harry is placed under stress.

AN: Hey folks, so- after reading your many lovely reviews and looking over the story itself I have to agree that there is something missing. Mostly the buildup of the relationship between Harry and Tom, so I thought to myself… How am I going to make this happen? And came up with this solution, an extra chapter- and some wiggling around of chapter 7's contents. I haven't changed anything to the plot, just added and re-arranged things to make the story more enjoyable. If you enjoy the new edition LET ME HEAR IT!

Chapter7

* * *

"_We will continue our conversation later…" _the words echoed through Harry's mind as he slowly made his way to the headmaster's office. What had Tom meant? Was he going to try kissing Harry again? Did he _want _Tom to kiss him again? _Of course not… he's evil. A killer._

Despite the thought, his hands were still shaking and his lips ached and his body throbbed. He shook his head as me muttered the password to the gargoyle at the headmaster's door. _I can't think about Tom right now, I need to focus._ With that he pushed open the door to the office.

"Ah Mr. Granger, we have been waiting for you." Dippet said, his droopy eyes serious as he stared out from in-between a well-dressed woman and a- Harry blinked. The man could give Dumbledore a run for his money in regards to gaudiness. He wore a brightly colored robe, lime green with bright gold leaves outlined with neon orange. Not only that but he wore a heavy gold amulet and chain around his neck with a bright red ruby about the size of his fist stashed in the middle; its surface smooth as a drop of blood.

"So, this is the boy who put my son in the hospital."

His smile was polite, but his eyes were steel. Harry fought the shudder that tried to work its way down his spine.

"Er, Mr. Granger as you might have deduced, this is Mr-"

"Lestrange." The man cut in. "Master Hugo Lestrange, Order of Merlin second class, Enchanter of the first Degree, and Governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The man stood and drew himself to his considerable height, tightly grasping the handle of a cane with a ruby hilt that matched his necklace. "And you have some explaining to do."

Dippet cleared his throat nervously "Er, what Mr. Lestrange-"

"Master Lestrange," the man interrupted.

"Right… what _Master _Lestrange means is, could you tell us what happened between you boys today?"

Harry fidgeted restlessly under the older Lestrange's gaze, his instincts screaming to go for his wand because of the cold aggressive glint in the man's eye. "Not much to tell, he attacked me and I fought back… it's as simple as that."

"I refuse to believe my son randomly decided to attack someone."

"We had a misunderstanding and he attacked me before I could explain."

"A misunderstanding? About what?" Evan's mother chimed in.

"I think you should ask Evan about that."

Evan's mother frowned slightly and shared a glance with her husband.

"Yes I think we will, Hugo?"

The man glared at Harry for a moment more before responding "We will speak to Evan. But Mark my words Granger, if you did anything to my boy that cannot be fixed you will be out of Hogwarts so fast your head will spin. Come Helena."

With that the couple brushed by Harry who slumped in relief as soon as they were gone.

"Er, suppose that is that then," Dippet muttered and shuffled a few papers around his desk "Until I can talk to Mr. Lestrange no punishment will be administered, but do keep yourself out of trouble Mr. Granger. Hogwarts does not tolerate mischief makers and I would hate to revoke your scholarship after you have been doing so well."

Harry paled and nodded numbly.

"Very good, now you may go."

* * *

It was a long slow walk back to the Gryffindor common room, a thousand different thoughts warring in his mind for his attention. First and foremost was Mr. Lestrange's threat. The man had the pull to go through with his threat to kick him out of Hogwarts if anything was wrong with Evan and there was a good chance that there was.

Tom had caused damage, Harry just _knew _it, and if Evan's father thought Harry had done it- well best case scenario he would be thrown out which he had to admit would be better than the alternative… Azkaban.

_I should have just left Evan alone; I should have just ignored him. _

Harry had to fight the urge to slam his head against the nearest wall.

"Harry?"

Harry froze. _Oh sweet Merlin, not now!_

Tom pulled up alongside him, his black eyes glittering in the low torchlight.

"What do you want Tom?"

"To continue our conversation from earlier, I trust that you are free for the rest of the night?"

His stomach twisted, from arousal or disgust he didn't know and he didn't dare examine the sensation more closely. "I'm not, I have work to do."

With that Harry started walking but to his frustration Tom kept pace with him.

"I can assist you."

"Don't you have something else to do?"

"As it happens I have some free time I need to fill."

"Well I don't want your help, now if you will excuse me-"

Before he could part ways with the Slytherin, Tom grabbed his wrist. The tips of his fingers were cold as they dug into his skin.

"I would like to help you Harry."

"Well what if I don't want your help?" He growled through gritted teeth.

Tom's eyes narrowed and with a single jerk of his arm pulled Harry close to him, Harry could feel the warmth of the other teen's body radiating off of him. The heat invaded his senses and his entire body tensed.

"I think you do Harry Granger, very much so in fact," Tom's thumb slowly dragged over his wrist and Harry shuddered as Tom slowly leaned down until he was only a breath away. "Let me _help _you, I can promise you that the experience will be mutually satisfying."

_Satisfying? _Images of just what Tom meant blazed through his mind and made his chest tighten.

"No!" Harry shoved Tom, hard, and the future Dark Lord stumbled back, his coal black eyes wide in surprise.

"No?" Tom seemed completely baffled as Harry backed away.

"Yeah no, you can't just…force your help on people like that!"

Tom cocked his head to the side, indirectly mirroring his future self as Harry had last seen him, except on Tom the gesture was almost…. Cute?

Harry felt sick.

"Just stay away from me."

With that Harry turned on his heel and stormed down the hallway, his mind in a whirlwind of emotions he didn't care to pick apart. He disconnected himself from the deep feelings that surged in his chest, he overlooked the slight prickling of the skin on his wrist where Tom had touched him, and he definitely ignored the word _satisfying _as it played through his mind again and again as he reached a hand into his boxers that night.

* * *

Harry drummed his fingers against his desk and gazed restlessly around at the other students in his Charms class. The lesson was going to start soon and Tom still hadn't shown up, which was very out of character for the Slytherin. Harry huddled deeper into his corner in the back of the room and brooded quietly.

What was Tom's game? Was he trying to drive Harry crazy from making him wonder where he was and why he was deviating from his usual, predictable, schedule?

Harry instantly relaxed when Tom walked through the door only seconds before the bell rang, but quickly tensed again when he realized that there were only two seats open in the room, and one was next to him. He sat stiffly, ready and waiting, but to his immense surprise Tom took the other seat next to a Slytherin boy he didn't know and started a quiet conversation as the tiny professor began the lecture.

_What…?_

Harry stared at the back of Tom's perfectly groomed head the entire lesson, trying to mentally pierce through his skull and pull out what he was thinking. Before he knew it the lesson was over and Harry had forgotten to take notes… again. He sighed and stood, quickly slipping his blank parchment into his bag and filing out with the rest of the students.

All the while Harry's eyes tracked Tom and the other Slytherin, who had kept up a rather animated conversation ahead of him. He even thought he saw Tom _smile _about something the other boy had said which set Harry's teeth on edge.

The pair remained with one another as they made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts and Harry scowled at them the entire time as they practiced cursing wooden dummies.

"Mr. Granger, start casting or I _will _take points."

Harry sighed as the professor passed and raised his wand, sending a weak spell at the dummy that shuddered a bit from the impact. He cast again and again with almost mindless diligence until near the end of the lesson when he caught the tail end of Tom and the other Slytherin's conversation as they passed him.

"- for the help today, I really appreciate it."

"_I would like to help you."_

"REDUCTO!" The wooden dummy exploded into a shower of splinters.

The entire class stared at him in shock, all except for Tom who had the barest hint of a smirk playing in the corner of his mouth as the teacher jabbered something at him.

"That- that was rather impressive Mr. Granger, but next time a little less power if you would."

Harry felt his cheeks heat "Yes professor, it will not happen again."

The bell rang a moment later, and none too soon. His classmates had all started whispering madly around him the rest of the lesson and they only quieted down as he slowly made his way back to his desk, clutching his wand tightly.

"No wonder Lestrange hasn't woken up yet, just look at what he did to that dummy!" A Slytherin girl muttered as Harry slung his bag over his shoulder and slowly made his way out of the room.

_Evan still isn't awake? _Harry frowned at the thought as he made his way outside. His stomach started tying itself in knots as he found a comfortable spot by the lake and watched the giant squid slowly moving under the water. _Tom did something, I am sure of it, he wanted Evan out of the way so he cursed him… and now I am getting blamed for it. _Harry ripped out fistfuls of grass at the thought.

Evan's father's threat hung heavily over his head. If Evan didn't heal soon, the man would surely find some way to kick him out of Hogwarts, and then… Harry didn't know what he would do. He hung his head and shut his eyes tightly, clutching at the grass as if it were the only thing grounding him. _I'm not even close to finding a way home; I can't leave- not yet._

Harry didn't even remember the last time he had actively searched for anything about sending him home. Most of his time in the library was spent with Tom and he hadn't dared looked for any books on the subject with him around.

_I need to start looking again._

With that Harry released the grass he had been desperately clutching and slowly stood, making his way slowly back to the school. All the way to the library people pointed and whispered, but it was nothing Harry wasn't used to. Still, it was disconcerting after all the weeks of obscurity he had grown used to.

He sighed in relief as he entered the library, it was empty thanks to the nice weather and he had the stacks to himself. He found a table quickly and dropped his things off quietly and started toward a small corner of the library he had mentally dubbed the Time section.

Every book there had something to do with time and magic, there was everything from a simple spell on how to tell time and how to make sundials to theory on how magic could warp time to the castors will. Unfortunately that was how far the books went- theory. Harry didn't need theory he could only just understand, he needed a spell, a potion, _something. _Frustration welled up in him and he tossed a book on string theory over his shoulder.

"Throwing books has never helped one understand them."

Harry tensed.

"What do you want Tom?"

"To study, naturally I assumed the library would help me in this endeavor."

"Then do it over there, I'm trying to read."

Tom set the book he had thrown onto the table in front of him "I can see that, tell me does tossing the book help you comprehend the material?"

"Yes. Go away."

"…as you wish."

Surprised the future Dark Lord had given up so quickly, Harry peered over his shoulder at him. Tom had sat at the table directly behind him and was quietly going through a book of his own. Harry frowned and for the next twenty minutes attempted to turn back to the pile of books he was reading, trying and failing to comprehend the material.

It was hard to focus when Tom was there. Although for slightly different reasons than before, before he merely wanted to keep the fact that he was a time traveler from Tom, now he couldn't help but _notice_ the other teen. Something in his brain had switched on after Tom had kissed him, and now he just couldn't seem to turn it off.

Logically, he knew he was being foolish, he knew he shouldn't be having the kind of thoughts that had been creeping up on him randomly throughout the day, but when push came to shove… his damned body didn't care.

_It's stress. _He thought as he flipped a page he hadn't read and proceeded to not read the next. _Only stress. If someone else had shown an interest in me then I would be feeling like this about them too._ As it was no one besides Evan and Tom had willingly approached him his entire time in the forties, it was natural he would be drawn to one of them…

_Stop making excuses._

He mentally snapped, sending his books back to their usual places with a flick of a wand. He wasn't going to get any work done, not with Tom there. He quickly gathered his things and started toward the doors.

"I am going to Hogsmeade tomorrow at noon with friends; would you like to join us?"

Harry paused at the door glancing warily over at Tom. One part of him was screaming yes, the other screamed no just as loudly.

"I will think about it."

* * *

"Ah Harry, I'm glad you made it."

Harry had his hands shoved deep into his pockets and tried not to scowl at the three other teens Tom was sitting with. They all stared back at him with blatant curiosity.

"I had nothing else to do…" Harry muttered and took a seat next to Tom at the tiny booth in the Three Broom Sticks. It was so crowded the boys sat elbow to elbow, none of them seemed to mind the cramped quarters but Harry did his best to keep his distance without slipping out of his seat.

"Now," Tom started as they all shuffled to get comfortable with the new edition, "Harry this is Abraxas Malfoy, Orion Black, and Samson Avery."

The three gave brief nods of greeting and Harry had to bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from doing or saying anything stupid. Abraxas was definitely a Malfoy, the blond hair and steel colored eyes gave him away, but unlike his grandson this Malfoy had softer features… he looked calmer than Draco at the very least. Samson Avery, he had seen him before but had not been able to put a name to a face. In Harry's time Avery was a dirty blond with a nasty looking scar across his eyes, in this time he was almost as blonde as Malfoy and had a bit of paunch around his stomach… if he remembered correctly Samson was good with big explosive spells.

The sight of Orion made his chest clench. _He looks so much like Sirius..._ Harry's gaze must have lingered on Orion a moment too long before the boy gave an uncomfortable smile and pointedly stared out a window.

"Nice to meet you all," Harry finally said.

At first they talked to Harry. They asked him about his friends, family, and how Gryffindor was treating him, but after a half an hour of vague or non-answers they- much to his relief- gradually turned to their own conversations. While they talked Harry's eyes fell on Tom. The teen was deeply engaged in debate with Orion, something about some new law that had been passed. There was something appealing to the energy Tom brought to an argument, the low timbre of his voice, the way he moved his hands, the way his eyes glittered when we was _absolutely _convinced he was right…

Harry took a sharp breath when he felt Tom's thigh press against him and had to force himself to calm down as the other teen's warmth washed over him. _He is doing this on purpose _he thought dazedly as Tom's voice rose to emphasize a point he was making.

"Harry?"

His head shot up. "Yes?"

They were all staring at him and he fought against the embarrassment that threatened to take him over.

"Waitress is asking if you want anything." Samson said.

_I didn't even hear her come up._ He thought as the woman stared impatiently down at him.

"Er, yeah a butterbeer thanks…"

"Anything to eat?"

"No, I'm fine."

With that the woman dashed away and the boys were left alone to return to their conversations. _I need to focus on something other than Tom. _He thought determinedly and struck up a conversation with Samson about the different types of spells that could be used in dueling. For a while it worked, Tom kept up his deep debate with Orion, with Abraxas chipping in some bit of information every once and a while as they spoke; and Harry kept up his running commentary about the importance of the simple spells while dueling.

"Even if you have little experience with actual dueling just being able to cast a simple disarming spell can save your life." Harry finished causing Samson to snort.

"A disarming spell is all well and good but you still need to have other spells in your arsenal if you want to win the duel."

"I have won duels with only a disarming spell before; I have found that it is hard for someone to fight back without their wand."

"What about an opponent who can duel without a wand?" Tom asked.

Harry and Samson jerked in surprise at Tom's inquiry. Apparently the other three teens had finished their conversations and were staring at Harry and Samson with rapt attention. It took Harry a moment to formulate a reply.

"Well… a stunner I guess. They can't cast if they aren't awake right?"

"If he was a single dueler that might be enough. But what if this person has allies who can simply reverse the spell, what then?"

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair "You just hope that you can get to them faster than they can get to their friends."

Abraxas' eyes glowed with interest "Ah but what about killing them? That would solve the problem rather nicely."

A chill went down Harry's spine "Yeah, it would wouldn't it?" He muttered as he was reminded about who exactly he was sitting with. _They may be young but they are still dangerous. _He thought, jaw clenching slightly. The worst part was Harry wasn't all together innocent himself. He had completely destroyed Quirrell in his first year, and stabbed the basilisk without guilt in his second… not to mention the horcruxes. They may not have been people, but they _were _parts of a soul and he was ending them with the complete intention of taking yet another life.

Voldemort.

His fists clenched as his eyes darted to the side to catch a glimpse of the teen that would become the greatest dark wizard of all time. _When I get home I will have to kill him... _sudden guilt stabbed him in the heart and he frowned deeply. He had never felt guilty before for having to kill Voldemort before… he had felt sick at the actual thought of killing someone but Voldemort's crimes made it easy to stash the guilt away.

_It's harder because I know him now. _He thought darkly. _Or I know the front he puts up at least. _To his shame Harry had been enjoying Tom's company. The teen was intelligent without shoving it down your throat, pleasant looking, and a damned genus when it came to spell work. He could solve any crisis calmly, rally people quickly, and keep seeming disasters from crashing down around everyone's ears. Harry didn't want Tom as his enemy. He would take Voldemort's insanity any day… but Tom? He was sneaky, clever, and to be honest three times smarter than Harry was- not to mention the raw power he showed in his casting.

_It he never tore apart his soul and went bat shit crazy we would have been screwed three ways to hell. _Some part of him was relieved that Tom _had _gone insane if only for Harry's sake, another part of him thought it was a deep pity Tom didn't use his natural talents to cause real change in the world.

"Something wrong, Granger?"

The group was staring at him again and as his mind scrambled for an answer the waitress came up with their drinks.

"Sorry it took so long," the woman apologized as she set down their mugs "I have been teaching my daughter the trade so I have had to slow down a bit."

Behind the waitress, a little girl who couldn't have been more than three, with soft brown curls and determined green eyes carefully came up behind her mother, two large glasses in her arms. "I didn't spill anything!" She declared proudly as her mother took the mugs from her arms and set them in front of the Slytherins.

"You did very well Rosie," she praised before turning back to the group "Now is there anything else I can get you?"

At their negative she called the little girl to her side and they both went back behind the bar.

Drinks in hand the other teens forgot their interrogation and Harry let out a small sigh of relief as the talk turned to other things. Abraxas was the first to leave the group.

"I needed to pick something up for astronomy class before the store closed."

Orion was next. "I promised to meet my fiancé today; we are going over our final wedding preparations."

Samson was last "Slughorn will not take my paper if I don't get it to him by the end of today."

That left Tom and Harry alone.

At first silence stretched in-between them, and it was mostly Harry's fault. He gave short answers to Tom's questions, and contributed little to the conversation to keep it going. Tom on the other hand was doing his best to keep him talking and slowly Harry found himself drawn into conversation with the other teen.

They didn't talk about magic, or their childhoods, or anything deep and meaningful. Instead they just… talked. About Hogwarts, favorite study places, about teachers, ghosts, their classmates, the portraits- everything and nothing all at once. It was, as much as Harry hated to admit it, the most fun he had had in a while.

It felt good to talk with someone again without the conversation charged with some underlying tension, and by the time the pub started to die down Harry was more relaxed then he had been in weeks.

"I might argue that," Tom said when Harry claimed that he had met a woman who could out cook the Hogwarts elves "But it is getting late and we should make our way to the castle."

Harry blinked and looked out the window. The sun was almost down.

"Yeah, I think we should."

With that both of them stood and made their way out of the pub.

"Bye Harry!" Little Rosie called behind them and Harry smiled and waved at her as he left.

"I think she has a bit of a crush on you," Tom commented.

Harry grinned a bit and shrugged "Well she will come to her senses when she gets older."

"Do you really find yourself so unattractive?"

The question brought Harry up short "I- I suppose I never really thought about it."

"Truly?"

"Well it has never been a major thing for me; I was always busy thinking about V- er other things…"

Harry cursed his slip but if Tom noticed he didn't press.

"You are a unique person Harry Granger."

The way Tom said it made Harry think he was more annoyed than complementary.

"Unfortunately for me, all I have ever wanted to be is normal." Harry groaned.

Tom seemed honestly baffled by the admission.

"Why? A wizard like you could easily gain respect… power. The world could be yours."

"Because… at the end of the day it just doesn't seem worth it." Harry said and rubbed at his eyes.

"I don't understand."

"Well… the rest of my life would be nothing but stress. To be honest, I think it would drive me crazy. I think that when everything is said and done I am just going to buy a house on some island and live in peace."

Tom didn't say anything; instead he just looked at Harry, his black eyes curious.

"You have no ambition at all?"

Harry snorted "That _is _an ambition…. I never seem to get anything I want no matter how hard I try and when I do someone usually suffers for it."

"Why?"

"I have been asking myself that question since the day I was born," he said with a sigh as they drew up to Hogwarts entrance

"….I understand."

Harry frowned "What?"

"I understand," he repeated slowly, "My life hasn't been easy, and I too have suffered since my birth. But I plan on changing that, I plan on changing the world into a place where I can finally be… happy."

_He's serious. _Harry realized with a start as Tom stepped closer to him.

"When that happens, I want you there with me Harry."

"Tom, I-"

He didn't have time to respond as Tom kissed him with everything he had. Again, he was over loaded with taste and smell and touch until all of his senses were glutted with Tom. Harry clutched at the other teen and clung as Tom kissed him again and again and again until he was dizzy.

"Say your mine."

Dazed Harry nodded and he felt some of the tension leave Tom's shoulders as he kissed him again, this time more gently and Harry groaned as Tom's fingers pressed into his back. _**"Mine forever." **_Tom hissed to himself and Harry could only follow along as he pulled him into Hogwarts. Helpless against the strange power Tom held over him.


	8. Chapter 8

Summary: In which Harry Granger considers time travel.

Chapter 8

* * *

Tom ran his fingers through his hair, occasionally rubbing a strand between his fingers. Harry sighed and turned another page of the book he was reading as he leaned against the edge of the Slytherin's bed. This had become their afternoon routine for the last week. Harry would go to Tom's room, (Which looked obnoxiously normal) find a comfortable spot of floor, and start to study. Tom on the other hand would settle on his bed and go through whatever paperwork he had to finish, or read a book. Whatever it was he did one hand always went down to Harry's hair and inevitably to Harry's scar.

"Cut it out Tom." He murmured as Tom drew a long finger over the raised flesh of the lightning bolt.

"I apologize." Tom said idly and went back to stroking his hair. Harry didn't know what Tom's fascination with his scar was, he didn't know what it symbolized and he definitely didn't know about the Horcrux hidden under the skin. _Or does he? _It was a question Harry had taken to thinking about as Tom grew increasingly insistent on touching it.

But Harry had more pressing problems than Tom's strange _touchiness. _Evan still had not woken up, and if he didn't soon Harry would pay the price.

He shuddered as he remembered the meeting in the headmaster's room.

"Harry?"

Harry shook his head and glanced up into the curious eyes of… his boyfriend? Could he call him that? _Were _they truly together or was this some plot of Tom's to- to what? That was what Harry couldn't figure out, what did Tom stand to gain from being with Harry?

"Yes?"

"Your mind was far away."

Harry sighed. "I was thinking about Lestrange."

Tom rolled his eyes. "Again?"

Harry glared at the other teen. "I wouldn't worry if his father hadn't threatened to throw me out of the school if Evan doesn't wake up soon."

"He will wake." Tom sounded confident.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "And how would you know this." _As if I don't already know._

Tom's eyes went blank. "I would call it intuition."

_I would call it the dark arts. _Harry thought, feeling suddenly sick. Tom reached for him again and Harry leaned away making the other teen frown.

"You are upset with me."

"I usually am." He said with a sigh.

"I don't like it."

"I don't like to be lied to."

"I'm not lying to you."

"No but you're not telling me everything."

"Neither are you."

At that Harry had nothing to say. He _wasn't _telling Tom everything. _Then is it fair to ask it of him? _He idly wondered, and unbidden the image of Evan's face came to mind. The dark shadows under his eyes, the tremors in his hands. _I don't want to end up like that. _

"It doesn't matter," Harry muttered and tucked his book under his arm "I need to get going."

"Harry-"

"I will talk to you later; I have Herbology with the Ravenclaws." With that Harry ducked out of Tom's room, almost running into the Head Girl on his way down the stairs.

"Oh! You startled me." She said with a beaming smile. She was pretty, with curly brown hair and large forest green eyes. Her face was kind and Harry instantly warmed to her.

"I'm sorry, I was rushing to get to class and not really paying attention to where I was going..."

She laughed. "To be fair I wasn't either, I was thinking about the third passage of chapter three from 'Finding Your Inner Tiger' by George Spellman, but where are my manners," She stuck her hand out "Ruth, Ruth Spencer." Harry took it.

"Harry Granger… 'Finding Your Inner Tiger'?"

She blushed. "It's some supplemental reading for Defense; I'm not a very good dueler so Professor Flitwick recommended this to help me out."

"But he teaches charms…" He said with a frown.

"Yes but before he was teaching he was an amazing duelist, and I thought he might be able to help."

Harry was about to say something more when the door to Tom's room burst open. The teen himself stood in the open doorway, jaw clenched tightly.

"Spencer, do you have the meeting reports I asked you to for?" His tone promised pain, but if Ruth noticed she didn't show it. Instead she smiled brightly and shuffled through the stack of books in her arm, pulling out a few pieces of parchment and laying them on top of her pile.

"I have them right here Tom, I _can _do my job."

"That remains to be seen," he looked over at Harry, a frown playing about his lips "Didn't you have a class to go to?"

Harry nodded. "I do, but I ran into Ruth and we started talking-"

"Ruth?" Tom's frown deepened.

"Yes Ruth, anyway we started talking and I lost track of time. We can talk about it later, I am going to be late." He glanced over at the Head Girl, who was glancing in-between the two of them curiously. "It was nice meeting you."

She smiled at him. "Nice meeting you too." With that Harry continued his way out of the Head's common room.

* * *

Despite the fact that the Dursleys forced him to do yard work every day when the weather was nice, Harry found the work in the greenhouse soothing. There was something honest about it, and Harry desperately needed to feel that way.

Being with Tom was the ultimate betrayal of everything and everyone he stood for, his morals, his ethics, his friends, his family-he felt unclean.

But another part of him lavished under the attention Tom had been giving him. He reveled in the sheer abandon he felt when Tom kissed him, and rejoiced in the feel of companionship he offered.

During the long days of the Horcrux hunt, (and their many years together) Harry could always count on Ron and Hermonie to keep his spirits up. But the nights were different. Hermonie and Ron couldn't offer him what they so easily had with one another as they lay in the dark with a Horcrux whispering dark things in their ears, and doubts eating at their hearts. A partner, an other, someone they could spend the long lonely nights together with, hands intertwined.

Harry had been lonely, and jealous of the quiet companionship they offered each other. He wanted it so badly some nights he could taste it. Tom offered a break from the loneliness that had followed him back to the past. Not only that but he offered a familiarity. He _knew _Tom Riddle, obsessed about him, studied him, thought about him… he was familiar and Harry couldn't help but want to cling to it in this strange time.

"Well done Mr. Granger, your Humming Lilacs are simply singing your praises! Take twenty points for Gryffindor." The cheerful Professor's voice interrupted his brooding thoughts.

"Thank you, professor." He muttered, and she beamed down at Harry for a moment before racing over to another boy whose flowers had started shrieking.

_Is familiarity enough to keep me with him?_ If he wasn't able to find a way home… it just might be. _Speaking of finding a way home…_

Harry glanced down at his book bag and the slim volume poking out. After months of studying in the stacks, and a few late night excursions to the restricted section, he could honestly say he had had enough of books to last him a lifetime… but he had finally found one that had a theory about getting him home. But it wasn't the theory that excited Harry, it was the ritual scribbled on the final page of the book.

_I will try the ritual when everyone is gone for Easter break. _Harry decided as he walked up to the school with the rest of the Gryffindors. The less people around when he actually got around to doing it the better. _I don't know if the thing will actually work either. There was nothing after the instructions on how to use the ritual. _The book was entirely hand written as well with no clues on who wrote it in the first place. _Whoever they were they I wonder if they actually made it._ For all Harry knew the author had died trying.

He wondered of the consequences of actually going through with it as he poked halfheartedly at his plate of food at dinner that night. _I could die, I could end up from where I started and die anyway… or I can stay and live. _The last thought was tempting. It was as tempting as a glass of water was to a fish in the desert.

_But if I stay what will happen to the people in my time? _It was that question that brought Harry back to preparing for the ritual. Come what may.

Tom made the entire thing harder. Every time Harry turned around the Slytherin was there, eyes burning with some emotion Harry couldn't name, and he wouldn't leave until Harry was thoroughly snogged. The later in the day it got the more insistent Tom was on intimacy, and every time the future Dark Lord would start something Harry would let him. He had lost his virginity on the first night of them being together, and while it had hurt, he wanted to do it again- and again- he would never forget the weekend that followed.

Harry shook his head and stared at the Slytherin table for a moment. Tom was in his usual place, surrounded by the usual people. _Future Death Eaters. _He thought sourly as they laughed at something someone had said.

It was easier to hate them than it was to hate Tom, mostly because he could remember their faces from battles long in the future, and the faces of their children that echoed the features of the people sitting at the long stretch of table across the hall.

_This is the last time you will see them like this, tomorrow they will all go home and you will be- _Harry didn't know.

That night as he and Tom lay twined together, the coal eyed boy's face buried into Harry's damp neck, he took the time to appreciate the complete serenity of the moment. He was spent, physically, mentally, and emotionally. There was no room for worry from his sated body, and as Tom slowly rolled off of him he quietly admired the other teens form.

"Why do you want me?" Harry couldn't help but ask. Tom looked back over at him, eyes tired.

"I don't know."

"What do you feel for me?" There Tom hesitated, and Harry could practically see the gears turning in his head as he thought.

"Everything," he said very seriously "I feel everything because of you and I do not know if it is a good thing yet."

_Because of me, not for me _Tom couldn't love, Harry had known that from the start. _But I still make him feel. That has to count for something._

"I almost hexed Spencer today." Tom quietly admitted, and Harry would have given him a sharper look if he wasn't so tired.

"Why?"

"I didn't like the way she was looking at you… and I didn't like you smiling at her."

"We only just met one another!" Harry sighed in expiration.

"That's all it took for me." Tom hadn't meant to sound sweet with the comment, but something inside Harry responded to the words.

He was about to ask another question when Tom started to stroke his stomach, leaning in slowly to tease his ear with his teeth. _Could I stay with him?_ He wondered as Tom covered his body again. Harry didn't know, and despite his uncertainty he continued to collect more ingredients for his ritual the next morning.


	9. Chapter 9

Summary: In which our story ends, for good or ill.

Chapter 9

* * *

Harry held the struggling cat tightly, wincing as its claws scored more than one hit. "I'm sorry." He said through clenched teeth to the feline as it yowled and dug its nails deeply into his arm. With that Harry dragged the knife across its shoulders. The thing hollered and twisted to try to escape his grip but Harry held it firm, dropping the knife quickly and holding a bowl under the wound. After collecting a fair amount of blood he cast a quick healing charm on the cat, which spat at him angrily, and turned it loose.

The creature didn't hesitate and made a beeline for the castle.

Harry sighed and placed a preservation charm over the bowl before turning back to the book. After collecting fresh cat blood, he needed to add Devils Bane to ward away any evil spirits the cat might have left behind. Harry thought it was a bit ridiculous but he didn't want to take any chances of messing up the spell, so with a sigh he added a sprig of purple flowers to the cat blood. He blinked in surprise as the flowers slowly wilted and a puff of black smoke rose from the blood. _What was next? _He wondered, eyeing the black smoke as it rose higher into the sky.

"A gift from an enemy, a gift from a friend," he murmured and reached into his back pocket. He grabbed a small pouch full of Tom's hair and hesitated before sprinkling it into the mixture. Was this a gift from a friend or enemy? Could it be considered a gift if it wasn't willingly given? He let the hair fall into the blood and relaxed as a small puff of white hovered above the mixture. A _friend then. _He thought, relieved, before pulling out a small vial of more hair. Harry felt his stomach knot up in guilt as he uncorked and added it.

More black smoke.

He hadn't expected anything different. Evan hated him, and he hated him with good reason. _And now he has another reason to. _Harry had taken Evan's hair that morning, trying not to look at the gaunt and grey features of the sleeping boy. _It's my fault._

"I will be gone soon. Look after Tom for me… not that he needs looking after." He had murmured to the still teen, who didn't so much as twitch at the delectation.

A sprig of aged holly was next on the list, along with something personal. Harry sighed as he reached into the pouch around his neck, taking out a tiny sliver of his old wand and placing it into the mix. A redish haze appeared over the bowl, tiny sparks filtering down from the red fog and striking the liquid. It looked like a tiny lightning storm over a red sea. Finally, after it settled down, it needed to be stirred with, ironically, thyme.

That had been the easiest ingredient to collect. He had called a suspicious Tink to him and after explaining what he needed she had brought him an entire thyme plant.

After thanking her she glared at him.

"Master had better not be cooking on his own…" she had muttered and disappeared.

He smiled at the memory and carefully stirred the mixture with the herb bundle he had bound together. The red haze instantly surrounded the plants, attacking the leaves with tiny bursts of energy. Slowly the thyme lost every one of its leaves; the liquid in the bowl turned a sludgy looking green and the red haze quickly faded away. Harry set the stems aside and picked up the bowl. According to the instructions, it should work.

_Should I test it first? _Harry thought nervously. But what could he test it on? _And how would I know if it worked in the first place?_ There was only one way to find out.

With a grimace he lifted the bowl to his lips and tried not to gag as the hot, thick, liquid worked its way down his throat. When he was finished he tossed the bowl aside and grabbed at a tree branch to his right,his stomach turned violently and it took everything he had to keep everything down.

His skin started to tingle, and a low buzzing sound filled his ears. Harry watched as his hands started to glow white, then his arms, torso, legs- Magic was pressing against him on all sides, sliding over his skin slowly, before reaching out as if searching for something. Apparently, it hadn't been able to find what it was looking for and sank back into his skin. Harry could feel it there, humming, just below the surface of his flesh, waiting. _That was it?_

"What are you waiting for damn it!" Harry hissed and tore at his arms in a sudden fit of temper "Take me home!" The magic remained immobile. Harry whipped out his wand, pointed at the nearest tree and cast the most violent magic he could muster. The tree exploded in a flurry of bark and branches, some of the debris flying at Harry and digging into his skin. The pain only drew his anger into sharper focus as he cast again and again at the surrounding foliage. He couldn't go home, he couldn't go _home. _He cried out as a branch lashed out and deeply cut his cheek.

Blood dripped down his face, and the dormant magic under his skin buzzed like a swarm of angry bees for a moment before fading away. His free hand went up to touch the torn flesh as his breathing evened out. He felt tired… drained of everything he was, he felt hopeless. _What the hell am I going to do?_

As much as the thought of staying in the 40's had appealed to him in theory, he had never actually considered not returning home. He had made no real plans to make a life here beyond getting decent test scores to keep himself in Hogwarts. He sank to the ground and buried his face in his hands.

Harry didn't know how long he kneeled there among the carnage of the destroyed trees, but by the time he was coherent enough to move the sun was almost down. _I should get back, make a new plan… _he thought andstarted for the tree line. Every step he took to the school felt like another failure, every breath a mockery of his inability to do anything right, and every painful throb of the injuries he sustained a tribute to how he had let himself and everyone who counted on him in his own time down.

Before long the castle came into sight and Harry sighed in relief, limping slowly through the double doors.

"Granger!"

Something heavy slammed into Harry's side sending him flying into the Ravenclaw points hourglass. He heard his rib snap with a loud crack and hollered in agony. The dormant magic roared to life under his skin and Harry's vision doubled.

He was in the forbidden forest- _**Voldemort tilted his head to the side, the movement very birdlike. He looked his opponent over before a mirthless smile crossed his lipless mouth.**_

"_**Harry Potter," he said very softly, "The Boy Who Lived."**_

Harry blinked.

Evan Lestrange was looming over him, eyes wide and unblinking, pupils tiny pinpricks lost in a sea of hazel. "Harry Granger," he cackled gleefully. "We meet again." With that Evan flicked his wand harshly and Harry was levitated up- and promptly smashed against the cobblestone floor. Harry heard something crack and felt intense pain shoot up from his wrist. The magic pulsed again as Harry shut his eyes against the agony.

_**No one dared to move, not even Voldemort whose head was still tilted to the side, like a curious child who wondered what would happen if he proceeded. He raised his wand.**_

"Let's see how long he lasts." Evan laughed and raised his wand again. This time though Harry struggled, reaching for his wand with his good hand. He grimaced as he was thrown down to the ground again. To his relief nothing broke. _I don't know how long I can take this. _Harry thought, gritting his teeth against the pain in his throbbing body.

"Up…" Harry rose into the air. "Down!" He went slamming into the ground, but not before he managed to grab his wand.

"_Confringo_!" He rasped out, the spell flew wide of his mark and landed with a loud explosion, making Evan stumble and causing Harry to close his eyes against the brilliant light the spell gave off.

_**Harry stared into his eyes all the while; trying desperately not to betray the fear that was twisting his stomach to bits and making his heart try to race out of his chest.**_

Harry managed to find his feet, and Evan noticed.

"You think you can duel me?"

"I know I can." Harry growled and cast another blasting curse. This time Evan didn't dodge out of the way fast enough, and the shield he threw up only just kept the explosion from reaching him. Pressing his advantage Harry threw every spell he knew at him, a few of the minor hexes hit. Boils erupted along Evans skin, and his teeth started to grow at an alarming rate.

"Phnite-" He slurred out from behind his monstrous teeth and quickly shrank them before sending a curse Harry had never seen before toward him.

Harry threw up a shield but the curse tore through it like tissue paper and Harry was in agony again as large welts appeared all over his body.

_**He saw Voldemort's lips move- **_

"Lestrange!" It was Tom, his black eyes burning, mouth set into a grim frown as he cast a nasty looking purple curse toward the stark figure of Evan Lestrange. Evan dodged with surprising nimbleness. The hazel eyed boy grinned widely, carefully flipping his wand in-between his hands. Harry could only watch as he caught his breath, trying to heal himself with the little knowledge he had.

"_Master,_" Evan purred, his wide unblinking eyes staring at Tom "I had hoped you would show up."

Tom's eyes flashed. "How could I not when you left such a lovely invitation."

Evan beamed like a pleased child. "Like that did you? I thought you would. Death suits Nurse Dove more than life did, wouldn't you agree?"

"I find that is true for a great many people." Tom retorted, and both opponents circled each other slowly. "Currently, I would put you at the top of that list, you cannot win this fight." Evan laughed.

"Oh we both know I can't best you in a duel, I don't think anyone can actually. But I can still win this battle." Quick as a bolt of lightning Evan turned his wand back on Harry.

Harry saw Evans lips move-

_**-heard the words distantly-**_

"NO!"

_**-the green light closed the distance between them- **_

The ritual magic rushed to cover him, a bright white light-

_**-emitted from his skin and surrounded him with its warmth, taking the full brunt of the killing curse-**_

Harry let out an agonizing scream as the magic fought hard against the killing magic, using Harry's own magic as an anchor. It used the power from the killing curse, twisting and warping it to its own use.

_**Magic invaded his senses and entered every inch of his body. Every part of him buzzed with power, and for a split second he felt invincible. But then the magic turned on him and with all its strength **__**yanked.**_

Harry felt as if he was going to be torn into a million pieces as every particle in his body tried to pull itself apart. Harry shut his eyes and screamed.

Suddenly it stopped, and when Harry opened his eyes-

* * *

-he was standing on platform nine and three quarters. Smoke from the Hogwarts express ruffling his hair.

"Ah Harry, how delightful it is to see you again."

Harry knew that voice and knew it well.

"Professor Dumbledore?" The man in question walked toward him, robes swirling with odd colors and images, his blue eyes twinkling. This was his Dumbledore, the one from his time… and Harry couldn't help but feel glad to see him.

"Indeed."

"What are we doing here?"

Dumbledore looked around curiously. "Where do you think this is?"

Harry frowned "Isn't this Platform Nine and Three Quarters?"

The old man beamed "Indeed it is, I had been wondering. But you must have questions, come and sit with me." Dumbledore gestured to a table Harry hadn't noticed before.

"Alright…" they started walking together. It was strange to see the normally bustling platform without people, and Harry's head kept spinning to try and find _someone _in the stark white of… he didn't even know.

"Professor, where exactly are we? I mean I must be dead or you wouldn't be here, but…"

Dumbledore chuckled "My boy, you are not dead… at least not completely. Another soul took the brunt of the Killing curse, leaving yours intact. As for where we are, the best way to describe it would be a crossroads."

Harry frowned, "Then why does it look like the platform?"

"It looks different for everyone who comes across it, for one man it might be a series of dirt paths through the woods, for another it could be a bus. I believe that the Hogwarts Express symbolizes to you great change, and so it is what you see."'

That was true enough.

"What do you see professor?"

Dumbledore smiled "Right now I see what you do, as for what I saw when I first came here- well that is a story for another time. I daresay you will enjoy the tale."

They were almost to the table when something snagged the end of the cloak he was wearing. Harry turned to see what had stopped him and froze.

Long bloody fingers were hooked into the fabric, long limbed arms shook as if supporting the too large hands were too much for it, a large almost infantile head lulled to the side as if its neck wasn't strong enough to properly support it, and a tuft of thin midnight hair fell over too large red eyes. Its gaze was imploring as it patted at the end of his cloak.

"Voldemort?"

The thing at his feet blinked slowly.

"You are half correct Harry. This Horcrux is different from the others destroyed."

Harry glanced over at Dumbledore; the man had paused and was looking back at him solemnly.

"What happened to make it different?"

"You did."

"I did?" Harry asked, confused.

"Indeed, this is the shard that was attached to you. Your close interaction with Tom Riddle reminded the shard what it should look and behave like. So it was slowly changing according to its original design before preparing to join with its whole."

Harry frowned. "But Hermione said only guilt and regret could make the Horcruxes reconnect to Voldemort."

Dumbledore nodded "Miss. Granger was not incorrect… but love could also make the connection needed to reattach a soul."

Harry stared incredulously at the former Headmaster, "But sir, you said it yourself, Tom can't love-"

"But you can, and you have…"

Dumbledore knew. Harry paled.

"It is never wrong to love someone Harry, despite what the world might say." Dumbledore looked infinitely sad as he said this, and his eyes were far away as he looked over Harry's shoulder at something only he could see. "Come, we have little time and much to discuss."

Harry looked down that the tiny clutching thing, it didn't look like it was going to let go any time soon. Gently he reached down and carefully pried the long hooked fingers off of him. As Harry stepped away, the thing reached and wailed and some part of Harry wanted to comfort it.

"Come Harry."

Harry frowned but obeyed and tried to ignore the screaming from the soul shard. He sat across from Dumbledore at the little table.

"You have a choice to make Harry," Dumbledore said without preamble "And I wish that I could say that it will be an easy one." Dumbledore flicked his wrist and two mirrors appeared, completely identical in every way, and Harry saw himself in each of them. It wasn't his reflection.

One Harry was lying down on the forest floor with his eyes shut; he was dirty and ragged looking. _I look terrible. _He thought idly as one of the Death Eaters slowly made their way to his prone form. In the other mirror Harry was in the Great Hall. He looked better than he did in the first mirror. He looked better fed at least. This Harry's eyes were wide open, but blank and the sight sent a chill down his spine. Evan was laughing, but he wouldn't be for long-Tom was casting, his eyes a deep maroon.

"History as we know it has changed many times before Harry. Despite the common opinion, Time is fluid and ever changing, and you have changed it yet again from its set pattern."

"How? I don't even know what I did!" Harry shouted in exasperation.

"Ah, but you do Harry." At Harry's confused glance Dumbledore explained. "When you preformed the ritual in the past to take you to the future, the magic first had to bring you from the future to the past."

Harry's head hurt. "So… I sent myself back in time in the first place by trying to get back to the future?"

"Exactly right, you see Harry nothing can happen in the past without affecting the future."

"But what would have happened if I hadn't found the spell to send me back? What if I never bothered trying to get back?"

"Then it never would have happened in the first place, and we would not be having this conversation."

"It doesn't make any sense." Harry mumbled and grabbed at his hair.

Dumbledore smiled "Extraordinary things and happenings rarely do." Dumbledore glanced over at the mirrors and frowned.

"But we are running out of time. You must choose which timeline to remain in."

Harrys head throbbed "I have to go back to my original time." He said, rubbing his temples. "They need me."

"They may not."

Harry frowned "What do you mean?"

"Time, as I have said, is constantly being written, rewritten, and… unwritten."

Harry looked at him sharply. "Are you saying that I can change history? But Hermonie said-"

"Miss Granger can, and has, been wrong before. History can be changed Harry if you would be willing to try… it would involve a lot of risk and uncertainty. But it is possible."

"…What will happen to everyone?"

"Nothing, at least nothing they will remember. Their lives will alter with the timeline." Silence stretched between them.

"Can I stop the war from happening?" He asked slowly.

"I do not know," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "As I said nothing about time is certain."

"But is there a _chance _to stop it before it begins?"

"There is always a chance."

Harry watched Tom in the gilded mirror. The hollow look was back in his now red eyes as he stood over Evan Lestrange. Evan was laughing even as blood poured from between his lips.

"Is there any way to stop him from being Voldemort?"

"That I do not know. Perhaps if he does not split his soul again, perhaps if he had proper guidance from someone who cared for him. It is uncertain."

"I don't know if I love him enough to stay with him." Harry said and his chest tightened at the admission.

"The choice is yours, Harry."

It was an impossible choice. Harry knew he loved Tom, foolish as that was, but he didn't know if they had what it would take to last together if he went back. If he went to the future, it was with the knowledge that he would have to kill his former lover, and watch as more of his friends died in the resulting conflict.

_If I go back I might be able to save everyone. _He thought glancing over at the pathetic, childlike Tom/Voldemort hybrid that groaned and squirmed. _Perhaps even him. _

Harry had oftentimes wondered what would have happened to Voldemort if someone had been there to care for him… _But if he goes back to being a Dark Lord, it would still be my job to kill him… what a cheery thought. _Either way you looked at it Tom was looking more and more like Harry's responsibility. _Wasn't he always? _

If he went back he would be giving up everything he knew. But if he did he also imagined how much he would gain.

His friends and family, alive and whole, happy without the threat of Voldemort looming over them… and Voldemort himself could be using his brilliance doing something good for the wizarding world. Could that happen? Could he make it happen?

It was a chance-

-and Harry was alive and well because of stupid chances "I want to go back." Dumbledore nodded sadly.

"I thought you might. It was an honor to know you Harry Potter, though I will forget our time together know that I felt it was a privilege to know you." The world around them shook, everything fading into obscure white fog, and the last thing Harry was aware of was the sad eyes of Albus Dumbledore, and the wailing of the broken shard of Voldemort's soul.

* * *

Everything hurt. His eyes slowly opened only to fall on the figure of Tom, sitting in a chair by his bedside, reading an old book with an unconcerned expression.

"Tom?" He rasped and the teen almost dropped his book in surprise.

"Harry?" He was instantly at his side, looking him over quickly. "You look terrible."

"Thanks Tom, really what I wanted to hear… what happened?" Tom hesitated and looked like he was about to speak when a young woman bustled into the room- she looked vaguely familiar….

"Madame Pomfrey, he just woke up two minutes ago."

Harry couldn't help but gape as the young Madame rapidly looked him over casting spell after spell on him, all the while babbling about how lucky he was to be alive after the injuries he had taken. "…And to have survived a botched killing curse on top of it all- angels are looking after you boy. You were lucky Mr. Riddle here acted quickly enough to stop that horrible Lestrange boy in time."

"I was." He said, looking at the stern face of his lover.

"Almost completely healed," she said after a minute "Remarkable. You are almost well enough to go now but I want to keep you one more night to be sure." Harry nodded and let her fuss over him a minute more before politely requesting privacy.

"-I want to thank Tom properly."

"Oh! Oh of course, I will be in my office if you need me." With that she was gone and they were alone again.

"I thought Evan had killed you." Tom said darkly, eyes flashing a brief scarlet before fading back to their usual black.

"For a minute, so did I," Harry said with a weak laugh "But I'm not that easy to kill."

"Apparently not."

"Were you upset?"

Annoyance flashed in Tom's eyes. "I was… unnerved. I am not used to the feeling."

_I almost get myself killed at least once a year and now that I'm not going anywhere you better get used to it._

"I'm sorry to make you feel that way. It will not happen again… unless you have other insane ex-boyfriends you haven't told me about."

Tom snorted.

"I will take that as a no… in that case I think I will stick around."

Tom's eyes softened slightly "If that is what you want."

"I do."

"I feel obligated to warn you about-"

He held up a hand "We will talk later; there are a few things I need to warn you about too. But right now… I'm happy to see you."

Tom took his hand and squeezed it in an uncharacteristic show of affection.

It was a start, and for now… it was enough. _For good or for worse Tom Riddle, I am with you until the end._


End file.
